GERMANY. Medallic Issues. Hamburg - Swedish Pomerania - Ottoman Empire. Parabolical/Satirical Silver Medal, ND (ca. 1710). PCGS VF-35.
Svensk Numismatisk Tidskrift -6 (9/1985), p. 147; cf. WAG-70, lot 2218 (for a similar countermark applied to a Spanish Netherlands "Philip" Taler). Circular countermark of a male bust (Karl XII of Sweden?) right, attempting to plug his nose and with the legend "O! DU HEUCHLER!" ( O! You hypocrite! ); all applied to the obverse of an AH 1106 (1695/6) Kurush of the Ottoman Empire (Edirne Mint; KM-121.6). A very interesting and EXTREMELY RARE issue, this specimen features a countermark that, unlike other similarly countermarked issues, was not intended for repurposed economic affairs, but rather in a seemingly parabolical or satirical manner. Sometimes attributed to Karl XII of Sweden on account of the similar facial and hair features, the usage of the German legend would be somewhat perplexing--though Karl XII did have dominion on the Baltic Sea in the form of Pomerania. This countermark has thus been offered as poking some fun at Karl XII, who appears to be holding his nose on account of the stench of hypocrisy. This attribution, however, was challenged by Anders Ringberg in the SNT, in which he questioned what the connection to Karl would actually be, as even the depiction, in his opinion, was tenuous at best. Rather, he offered the idea that this pointed satire may, in fact, be related to other such issues contemporaneous to Hamburg, which pointed to the corruption of officials within the Holy Roman Empire. As such, it is difficult to determine exactly what the main idea is behind this issue, but it is an undoubted RARITY and stands as the crossroads of counterstruck coinage and medallic themes.

Estimate: $700.00- $1000.00