102586 | GERMANY. Confirmation silver Medal.

102586  |  GERMANY. Confirmation silver Medal. Issued circa 1820-1855 (36mm, 14.00 g, 12h). By L. Herd for the Loos workshop in Berlin.

 

HERR ICH LASSE DICH NICHT DU SEGNEST MICH DENN (Lord, I will not go unless You bless me, —adapted from Genesis 32:26), child advancing right, reaching up toward Christ standing left; 1 B MOS 32 V 26 in exergue // HALT IM GEDAECHTNISS JESUM CHRISTUM (Always remember that Jesus Christ, a descendant of King David, was raised from the dead, —adapted from 2 Timothy 2:8), draped altar bearing crucifix between chalice and plate; 2 TIMOTH 2 V 8 in exergue. Edge: Plain.

 

Cf. Sommer B3 (for overall type) & B9 (rev.)/B10 (rev.) (for this specific type); GPH –. PCGS SP-62. Highly flashy and brilliant, with some deep iridescence nearer the peripheries. Exceeded by just two others in the PCGS census, though by just one of this specific type.

 

While one may now purchase a silver round, usually struck to the weight of one ounce and with a variety of religions-themed designs, as a gift for a child upon said child's baptism or confirmation, the practice is in no way modern. In 18th and 19th century Germany in particular, the practice was commonplace, with mints in Nürnberg and, later on, the Loos workshop in Berlin, striking countless tokens and medals to be used as baptismal gifts. While the Nürnberg issues tended to verge upon actual coinage, such as the multiple and fractional gold ducat agnus Dei—or Lamb of God—issues, or billon kerzendreier that had more of an ecclesiastic token status, those later from the Loos workshop were fully in the medallic realm, with the firm mixing and matching various obverse and reverse dies with numerous Biblical scenes—many of which dealt with the baptism of Jesus in the River Jordan. Even beyond the production of baptismal related medals, the Loos workshop was heavily active in other religious-themed medals, with many touching upon parables throughout the Bible.

 

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Upload: 1 August 2024.