Out of theme yet superb engraving by Dadler coupled with city view and history. 1653. Hamburg. Bankportugaleser. Engraving by Sebastian Dadler (1586-1657). 50mm; 35.23gr. Wiecek 145. Maué 80. PiN 166. Gaedechens 1567. The Medal commemorates five years since the end of the devastating Thirty Years' War in 1648. State of Hamburg commissioned a Portugaleser, a German imitation of the Portugese gold coin, Potuguez. Obv: View of the city of Hamburg with its steeples behind high fortifications, the Elbe in the foreground and on the left side, the entrance to the port, where the ships are pushing. On the river many small and large sailing ships, also rowing boats and a raft. Above the city two hands coming from clouds hold a round shield with the Hebrew signature JEHOVAH. Attached to the sign is the emblem of Hamburg in a scrollwork frame. On the sails of a ship on the right side the initials SD and at the bottom the year 1653. Rev: The wide moving River Elbe, filled with sailing ships and rowboats, in the distance on the horizon, the city of Hamburg. Riverbanks growing trees, cereals, vegetables and flowers. Above hovers PAX with palm and olive branch in her right hand and showered their blessings from two oversized cornucopias from: from a several sailboats and from the other grains, fruits and flowers. These blessings give a picture of prosperity, which is based on the maritime trade and the production of agricultural products.
is this a coin or medal ? Wow! it is breath taking. amazing. I do not see it in my 17th century Krause catalog.
The gold Portugaleser pieces, by the way, were issued as coins until the first half of the 17th century. They did not meet the requirements of the Augsburg Ordinance (?, Augsburger Reichsmünzordnung) which for gold coins allowed gulden and ducat pieces only. That is when Hamburg started issuing them as medals worth 10 ducats. Christian
Oh, and let me just add that, following the Portugaleser/Portugalöser pieces, other German states issued similar "prestige" coins or medals. The most expensive one can now be seen at an exhibition in Braunschweig, NI (until early March). Künker bought what used to be the Preussag Collection, moved it out of the country in order to prevent national or state heritage claims, and started auctioning it piece by piece. So this golden Jakobslöser is worth almost a million euro. The buyer is MDM, a Braunschweig based major coin dealer. Along with silver coins, medals and other objects about the history of mining in the Harz mountains, this Löser is one of the exhibits. Christian
