Now that's a name. :kewl: I have asked in another forum awhile back if anyone knows anything about this medal/token. What I know. Klement Wenceslas Lothar Johann Nepomuk, the second Prince of Metternich - Winneburg, was born on 15 May 1773 Died June 1859 More info at wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Klemens_Wenzel,_Prince_von_Metternich Anyways it is small. (I'll dig thru and try to find it if needed.) Smaller then a half dime. Somewhere between a 1/4 and 3/8 inch. BTW from what I read and remember he was a coin collector.
Just to add a question. Any idea what the horn and ? grass leaf is on the back is supposed to represent? Had to be some reason for it. Now, that you said it I've got "John Jacob Jingleheimer Schmidt" running thru my head. Thanks. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TTd3Ksi2qI4
Cannot say anything about this piece, but yes, Metternich had a coin collection. Quite interesting, by the way - he bought the collection of Karl Huss, the last executioner in the city of Eger/Cheb. Metternich got the coins (more than 7,000 pieces) and various other objects, and Huss got the right to live in Kynžvart castle for the rest of his life, plus a lifetime pension. That was in May 1828. Half a year later, a burglar stole many of the coins, in a bag that weighed 75 kg (165 lb). First Huss was among the suspects too, and even Metternich did not quite trust him. But Huss, who had invested a lot of time and money in his collection while it was still his, apparently convinced: He lived is "his" castle, with all of "his" coins, why would he steal the collection? Huss even showed visitors the castle and, in front of the empty coin showcases, would explain which piece had been where ... Roughly another six months later the guy who had stolen the collection was caught in Prague; he had most of the pieces in the inn/hotel room where he lived. And except for a few coins that got lost, the Huss-Metternich collection can still be visited at Kynžvart castle, on the Western "edge" of the Czech Republic. As for long names, how about the one that our (German) Defense Secretary has? His full name is Karl Theodor Maria Nikolaus Johann Jacob Philipp Franz Joseph Sylvester Freiherr von und zu Guttenberg. Christian
Just trying to figure this out Karl Huss, executioner, coin collector. I wonder how many he got to do a clean execution. I have heard in instances the executioner would be tipped to insure a nice clean death.
:desk: Having an unknown bugs me. Tried awhile back and no luck. I have been trying to find something on it again. Went thru his memoirs. Today all I find is references to medals he received, tokens of ?(Friendship, etc.) but nothing close to a description of this. Then I thought why? As in why mint something like this. If he had it made himself. I would think it would be a little "grander". At least a little larger. But not crossed off the list. If made as some kind of memorial coin. It probably would have born, died date. Last thing I can think of is some kind of trinket. Maybe something sold near the castle for tourists? But then again why no dates. Also I would not think something that size and "crudeness" would be seller. But still maybe the best answer. Not all memorial tokens/medallions have dates on them. But still a chance of being made while he was alive. I think I found a little on the reverse. A sheaf of tares and horn. Tare - Middle Dutch tarwe wheat, any of several vetches, a weed of grain fields. But that's just because I saw a few references to sheaf of tares in my searches. I really have thoughts about sending this in to ICG. I have heard some cases of them doing some really good detective work finding stuff about medals and tokens. But nope, its not worth it. Other then it won't aggravate me when I look at it.
