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15
H
Military and Related Tokens and Medals
Lowental’s use of classical allusion is unusual for a World War
I period medal and sets it apart from the edgier art that one has
come to expect from the masters of that era. All in all, a grand
display piece! (H)
59.
GERMANY.
SINKING
OF
THE
LUSITANIA-
CORRECTED VERSION, 1915.
Kienast 156 Var. 56mm.
Cast Bronze. Karl Goetz, Sc. Incused KGOETZ edgemark.
About Uncirculated. Obverse with Death as a ticket seller in
the office of the Cunard Lines selling tickets to the passengers.
“Business above all.” On the reverse, the Lusitania is shown
sinking. “No contraband.” In the exergue, the inscription
translates, “The mail steamer “Lusitania” sunk by a German
Submarine 7 May 1915.”
Goetz’s Lusitania medal is one of the most famous medals of
the 20 th century. The original casting erroneously had the date
of the sinking as May 5 - two days before the actual sinking.
(Goetz explained this error by stating, “The 5 th of May was a
writing error on my part. I took this date out of a newspaper
account and correct it later to the 7 th of May.”) The British
were quick to take advantage of the propaganda possibilities of
this and manufactured replicas in great numbers arguing that
the medal with its May 5 date proved with the Germans has long
planned to sink the vessel. The original May 5 th medal is one
of the most sought-after of all Goetz medals. The proliferation
of copies, both British and American, is a complication as few
collectors know how to tell the difference between the genuine
medal and its copies. The Mai 7 corrected date medal was
issued by Goetz to tap the market for further sales and is
thought to have had a mintage figure about the same as
the Mai 5 variety. The KGOETZ edgemark is generally
thought to be evidence of a genuine Goetz-produced
medal. For obvious reasons, the May 7 casting was not
copied. (I+)
60.
SILVER PORTRAIT MEDAL OF GENERAL KARL
LITZMANN, (1915).
Frankenhuis 1044-45. 49.7mm. Silver.
Edge: “silber 990” “DS4” Unsigned, but attributed to George
Morin. XF/AU. (Oertel) XF/AU. Obv: GENERAL. D.
INFANTERIE LITZMANN around uniformed bust of Litzmann
slightly to left. Rx: Depiction of Samson defeating the Philistines
with aid of jaw bone of an ass. SIMSON inscribed above.
Lot 58 (reduced)
Lot 59