Hello everybody! I got this interesting German medal or token in a small lot of mid-late 1800s and early 1900s coins. I have not been able to find any images or references to this token. It’s made of aluminum and may be dated July 1878, or it’s commemorating something from then. On one side it says “WACHT AM RHEINE” and portrays what appears to be just that, Germania watching over the Rhine: The other side says “DEUTSCHES BUNDESSCHUTZE DIEST(?) IN DUSSELDORF” and “JULI 1878.” I don’t know German so here is what that translates to according to Google Translate: “GERMAN FEDERAL PROTECTION DUTY IN DUSSELDORF” and “JULY 1878.” The structure on this side does not look like anything I have ever seen before. When I first saw it, I thought of the structures that are depicted on Thai coins, for example, but then I saw the German and was stumped! Any ideas? Thanks
This is a shooting fest medal from Duesseldorf. The Wacht ...design is a stock design used on many different medals and refers to France.
The legend actually says DEUTSCHES BUNDESSCHUTZENFEST IN DUSSELDORF. There is a lot of info on Wiki relating to this
Interesting! Thank you guys so much for the info and corrections. I wasn't able to find the info on Wiki, unless you're referring the to page about the poem called "Die Wacht am Rhein." Would you mind linking it? Interesting that the "Wacht am Rhein" was a stock design and refers to France. In what way does it refer to France? Also, the highly pitted surface looks like it was cast rather crudely. Is it possible this is a fake/reproduction or just a very poorly produced shooting medal?
Yours could be a token for the public as a souvenir, the actual medals in 1878 looked like this The main Wiki link seems to have dissaapeared from the search engine resilts, but here is something https://de-m-wikipedia-org.translat...tr_sl=de&_x_tr_tl=es&_x_tr_hl=es&_x_tr_pto=sc
"Wacht am Rhine" Watching the Rhine river which runs between Germany and Germany's traditional enemy France. Early aluminum does not weather well and pits quickly. This was a cheap souvenir probably sold to the to the attendees and looks like it was looped when issued.
