Auction of plasters and medals of Royal Mint of Belgium

Started by eurocoin, October 03, 2021, 10:28:13 AM

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eurocoin

Royal Mint of Belgium has recently sold many plaster molds and electrotypes for Belgian and foreign coins as well as medals. In my opinion it is a disgrace that these were sold, and I do not understand this at all. As far as I am aware, other tools were stored at the Belgian national library, so I find it very remarkable that these plaster molds and electrotypes were instead sold. More so, as some of the tools were used for coins that are legal tender. For example there are tools in the lot that were used for the production of Belgian euro coins, as well as a standard circulating coin of Cape Verde and an Australian bullion coin.


Part I: https://finshop.belgium.be/nl/openbare-verkopen/gipsmodellen-tinnen-afslagen-medailles-en-penningen-deel-i-loten-1-tot-399

Part II: https://finshop.belgium.be/nl/openbare-verkopen/gipsmodellen-tinnen-afslagen-medailles-en-penningen-deel-ii-loten-400-tot-594

Figleaf

It's hard to know from the description just what these are and there seems to be only one picture left. Museums routinely make plaster moulds in order to produce cast coins, e.g. so that participants in a course can handle them. In some countries, even the coins exhibited are cast from originals that must remain in the vault. In addition, casts marked COPY may be for sale in the museum shop.

Keep in mind that the plasters used for designing a coin are huge and white.

Peter
An unidentified coin is a piece of metal. An identified coin is a piece of history.

eurocoin

#2
Since it was an extaordinary sale with many unique items, that will not be saved by the known websites like Coinarchives/Numisbids, I figured it would be a good idea to save the webpages in the Web Archive. It was a lot of work but they are now fully saved:

Part 1 (lots 001-399): Dutch | French
Part 2 (lots 400-594): Dutch | French

It may take some time for the pages to load. If not all images are visible after the page has finished loading, refresh the page. All content was saved.

Figleaf

That's indeed a lot of work. I guess you had to repair every single link to the larger pictures. Now, it is in fact better than before, as on the original link, the page didn't load beyond the first 20 to 30 lots and none of the links from the main page worked. Had a look at a number of lots. Many are quite interesting. Glad they found a more permanent place. Thank you!

Peter
An unidentified coin is a piece of metal. An identified coin is a piece of history.

Figleaf

Here is one that caught my attention: lot 100. Using your saved illustration, I mirrored and rotated the image to make the text readable, finding:

inner ring: HERDISCONTERING*EN*WAARBORGINSTITUUT*
outer ring: INSTITUT*DE*REESCOMPTE*ET*DE*GARANTIE 1935-1970

The texts are the same, except for the language. The institute was created by royal decree on 22nd June 1935. It is a state-owned financial organisation that can buy commercial paper. The medal is one of a series inspired by Belgian gold coins. This particular medal is inspired by a chaise d'or / gouden schild, likely in the name of Louis of Bavaria (Vanhoudt G288-9, De Witte 374-5. Although the coin was struck in the Antwerp mint in 1338, it is not a Belgian coin, but a coin of the Holy Roman Empire. This is made clear by the legends. There is a very similar chaise d'or in the name of John the Blind for and struck in Luxembourg in 1337, which is not Belgian either. It is less likely that this coin was taken for inspiration, because it was struck outside Belgium.

obverse: + LVDOVICVS:DEIx - x GRAtia x - ROMANORVM:IMPerator'
reverse: +° XP'C:VINCIT° XP'C° REGNAT° XP'C° IMPERAT

The issue is commercial and clearly not well thought through. It is not clear to me who ordered the medals.

Peter
An unidentified coin is a piece of metal. An identified coin is a piece of history.

eurocoin

#5
Unfortunately, I see that for some reason some images now appear to be missing from the captures that I made.  Luckily in most cases it is only the thumbnail that is missing, and the larger image can be viewed by clicking on the lot number. I have no idea what caused this as the captures seemed to be complete at the time.

85 of the lots were later sold in an iBelgica auction that can be found here. There, also some of the items can be viewed of which no images were saved in the Web Archive.