Franco Prussian War Medal

There are as many different ways to collect foreign coins as there are collectors. Most common ways to collect are by country, type or date and mint. Another way is to collect ruler portraits which may be a more economical and interesting way. There is a medal however which provides a major short cut for portrait collectors of the German States. The medal comes in silver and bronze versions. Both versions are the same in size at 56 mm and very close in weight with the silver version at 75.4 grams and the bronze at 73.1 grams. The medal is signed on the obverse by W. Kullrich and H. Weckwerth and on the reverse by G. Loos and H. Weckwerth so it is most likely a product of the Berlin mint. The obverse of the medal has a group of thirteen standing men beneath the date of 1870 and above the exergue containing “WIR WOLLEN SEIN EIN EINIG VOLK VON BRUDERN IN KEINER NOTH UNS TRENNEN UND GEFAHR.” which is a slightly altered quote from Schiller’s WILHELM TELL play, poetically calling for national unity. The standing men are from left to right: Nicolaus Friedrich Peter Grand Duke of Oldenburg, Ludwig III Grand Duke of Hessen, Ernst II Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, Ernst Duke of Saxe-Altenburg, Johann King of Saxony, Wilhelm Duke of Brunswick (Wolfenbuttel Line), Wilhelm I King of Prussia and Emperor of Germany, Friedrich I Grand Duke of Baden, Karl Alexander Grand Duke of Saxe-Weimar, Ludwig II King of Bavaria, Friedrich Franz II Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, Friedrich Wilhelm Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz and Karl King of Wurttemberg. The reverse has the crown of Charlemagne above 1871 in a wreath of oak leaves and palm fronds.