Swiss Shooting Medals

[thedeadpoint]

Here is an almost perfect example of a beautifully engraved shooting medal. It was obtained in the original case of issue (shown here) from which it has been rarely removed since the day it was awarded.

 

1891 Burgdorf, canton Bern

R215a / M133

Bern Cantonal Shoot

45 mm

Mintage: 1656

Engraver: Franz Homberg, Bern

 

 

 

I don't know what to say. I love the obverse - the cupid (forgot the more formal name), floating above a cloud and directing shots. The landscape on the reverse... Wow.

[ttm5]

Thanks, it is a pleasurable hobby.

How about showing us more shooting medals for the new year?

[schutzenfester]

1909 Weinfelden, canton Thurgau
R1274a / M684
Cantonal Shoot
Silver
45 mm
Mintage: 400
Engraver: Holy Freres, St. Imier
R

 

[Art1.2]

Another beauty Rod.

[schutzenfester]

1902 Chiasso, canton Ticino
R1425a / M821
District Shoot
Silver
44 mm
Engraver: Stefano Johnson, Milan
RR

 

I now have two of these, one having slightly different patina yet both are wonderful examples for such a rare medal!

 

[schutzenfester]

1900 Locarno, canton Ticino
R1416a / M810
Inaugural Shoot
Silver
44 mm

Mintage: estimate of 200
Engraver: Stefano Johnson, Milan
RR

 

[schutzenfester]

How about showing us more shooting medals for the new year?

 

I posted pictures of three medals today. One from Weinfelden, canton Thurgau and two others from canton Ticino.

[schutzenfester]

Another beauty Rod.

Thanks Art.

While I have been collecting schützenfest medals for over thirty years now, I still love the hobby. The medals have such detailed engraving and the fact that they are at times difficult to acquire makes it as fresh as it has ever been.

Even though you see schützenfest medals quite often on the 'bay, they are usually the more common ones and many of them are at inflated and over market prices. I have seen a steady increase in market prices since the publication of the Richter books. Because of this and various other reasons including a seller not knowing any better, the prices now are quite high, especially the common medals.

Regardless, raw or slabbed, the common medals now fetch prices I would never even consider paying. I understand that one reason is partly that I have most common medals and have sold many commons over the years. In addition, since I have been doing this so long it is difficult for me to see a medal selling (asking price) for 3-4 times as much as I have ever paid. This is not good for the buyer but as I have stated previously, it is great for the seller and the hobby in general. Only 20 years ago, for example I could pick up 1901 Lucerne for between 20-30 dollars.

I am glad that so many members here appreciate their beauty, I will continue to post pictures from time to time, and I hope that people will inquire and ask questions as they arise. I am always more than happy to assist in any way I can.

[Art1.2]

Great design. Rod, as I've said before, you're photographs are wonderful.

[schutzenfester]

 

I was looking at the elongated coins topic and thought I should post a couple of pictures of Swiss Schutzenfest medals that are oval. They are not elongated coins as per the usual here in the states but are struck/rolled in this fashion.

The first is from Uster in the canton of Zürich, 1978 small caliber Cantonal Shoot. 33mm X 30mm and 7.3 grams .900 silver.

 

 

 

 

The second is from the canton of Appenzell, 1977 Cantonal Shoot, 34mm X 29mm and 7.25 grams .900 silver

[schutzenfester]

Great design. Rod, as I've said before, you're photographs are wonderful.

Thanks Art, I can also add that they are extremely close and/or spot on in terms of actual representation. Many times as you, I'm sure are aware, the color may not be accurately portrayed by the medium and/or the monitor.

[hiho]

Rod, your 1911 Olten gold medal just knocked my socks off.

 

Here's my gold restrike and a silver original:

 

 

[Art1.2]

Beautiful medals.

[thedeadpoint]

Love them both but I have to say I like the second one more.

[schutzenfester]

Thanks Kim,

 

Both of yours are very nice.

 

Are you still active in your schützenfest collecting efforts? I ask since I have not seen any posts for quite some time. I do my best to keep this post active. First, my interest has never waivered and second, I would like to see 100,000 views and 1,000 posts some time in the not so distant future.

 

I see quite a few shooting medals for sale on eBay for extremely high prices, not sure if any actually sell but there are certainly more than there were just a couple of years ago which says something about this fascinating hobby.

 

I hope all is well and I look forward to posting more as I can as well as talking more about the hobby to all the fine members of this forum!

 

Rod, your 1911 Olten gold medal just knocked my socks off.

 

Here's my gold restrike and a silver original:

 

 

[Art1.2]

More beautiful medals.

[thedeadpoint]

Keep up the awesome teaching, folks!

[bekiz]

I was looking at Swiss shooting talers for awhile now. Came across this medal.

The only info I get is what is written on slab - 1894 Swiss Shooting Fest, Lausanne.

[schutzenfester]

I was looking at Swiss shooting talers for awhile now. Came across this medal.

The only info I get is what is written on slab - 1894 Swiss Shooting Fest, Lausanne.

 

 

Hello bekiz,

 

Your schützenfest medal is from the Canton of Vaud, City of Lausanne and was awarded during the Cantonal Schützenfest of 1894.

 

The medal was minted in 4 variations of 44 mm diameters.

 

1. Gold, RRR (extremely rare), 68.9 grams with 6 examples

 

2. Silver, H or common with 1,000 minted

 

3. Gold plated bronze, RRR

 

4. Bronze, H, 880 examples.

 

Engraved by Charles Jean Richard and Louis Furet of Geneve and Charles Vuillermet of Lausanne

 

It is Richter number 1591b (R1591b) and Martin number 946 (M946)

 

 

I hope this additional information is helpful.

Your example looks quite nice, what grade did NGC give it?

[bekiz]

Hello bekiz,

 

Your schützenfest medal is from the Canton of Vaud, City of Lausanne and was awarded during the Cantonal Schützenfest of 1894.

 

The medal was minted in 4 variations of 44 mm diameters.

 

1. Gold, RRR (extremely rare), 68.9 grams with 6 examples

 

2. Silver, H or common with 1,000 minted

 

3. Gold plated bronze, RRR

 

4. Bronze, H, 880 examples.

 

Engraved by Charles Jean Richard and Louis Furet of Geneve and Charles Vuillermet of Lausanne

 

It is Richter number 1591b (R1591b) and Martin number 946 (M946)

 

 

I hope this additional information is helpful.

Your example looks quite nice, what grade did NGC give it?

Hello Schutzenfester

Info is helpful, thank you. I have got the mintage info while browsing through the whole thread.

I am not into medals much but the details on the medal caught my attention. 100 years ago people made medals that look as a real piece of art. Medals people have here in the thread is something unbelievable.

 

The medal got MS65 from NGC. I bought it slabbed already as the second I saw it I have got a thought that I must have it.

 

Questions:

1. I have noticed that very few shooting medals graded ms65 or above (common is ms63). Does the grade matter when pricing the medals?

2. What is a surviving mintage of the medals? I read somewhere in the thread, that some medals were melted before. Is there any way to determine what is a population of these medals today?

[schutzenfester]

Hello Schutzenfester

Info is helpful, thank you. I have got the mintage info while browsing through the whole thread.

I am not into medals much but the details on the medal caught my attention. 100 years ago people made medals that look as a real piece of art. Medals people have here in the thread is something unbelievable.

 

The medal got MS65 from NGC. I bought it slabbed already as the second I saw it I have got a thought that I must have it.

 

Questions:

1. I have noticed that very few shooting medals graded ms65 or above (common is ms63). Does the grade matter when pricing the medals?

2. What is a surviving mintage of the medals? I read somewhere in the thread, that some medals were melted before. Is there any way to determine what is a population of these medals today?

1. While the grade does matter, I feel too many sellers who are not experienced schützenfest medal collectors, place too much emphasis on the grade in regards to their pricing. Some of the current prices asked for by inexperienced schützenfest medal sellers are ridiculous. I have been collecting for 34 years, my Father for 52 years and we only own a few medals that are encapsulated. We have not seen the need to encapsulate to obtain realized value. I do not disagree with encapsulation but as always; Buy the medal, not the slab.

 

I have many medals that would grade higher than MS 65 but do not sell them for inflated prices as you see many times on the 'bay, yet I understand that the higher grade medals certainly increases value. Plus, most encapsulated medals you see offered for sale are common types and not the more rare that can still be had although with effort. Rare schützenfest medals are not seen often on the common venues of today. And many times purchasers pass up rare medals that are available for whatever reason. While common medals sell and are many times just as beautifully detailed as any other they are still common. Over the years I have sold so many common medals to my customers that I essentially discontinued selling them a few years ago because there was little to no market and since I do not encapsulate my medals and do not believe in marking up prices I do not attempt to sell them much at all anymore. This is by choice and a matter of principle in regards to marking up prices to the levels you see many for sale at on the 'bay.

 

2. A person cannot answer your question regarding surviving mintage because it is unknown. However, over the years medals were melted in poor economic times for bullion, mistreated, and lost to general attrition. I wrote a small article several years ago outlining schützenfest medals and it is now on Wikipedia that explains this to a degree and provides an overview to the novice. Many people now copy and paste it when selling shooting medals on various sites.

 

The more common the medal the more likely that mintage is less than known mintage figures. The more rare the medal then the more likely an individual and/or family would treasure the possession etc. etc.

[Lil_Lincoln]

This is really interesting stuff; I was doing some research on MTTs and came across the "shooting thalers." It was perfect timing for me to subsequently check out this thread. Really incredible designs and detail on the pictures posted here. Most of my experience with exonumia has been with the tackier stuff--poorly conceived numismatic copies, holiday and birthday rounds, etc.--but these medals are astounding.

Those gold and silver 1911 Swiss Shooting Fest medals are gorgeous, hiho. Any chance you can post a picture of the back of one of the slabs? I'm curious about the reverse design.

[schutzenfester]

This is really interesting stuff; I was doing some research on MTTs and came across the "shooting thalers." It was perfect timing for me to subsequently check out this thread. Really incredible designs and detail on the pictures posted here. Most of my experience with exonumia has been with the tackier stuff--poorly conceived numismatic copies, holiday and birthday rounds, etc.--but these medals are astounding.

Those gold and silver 1911 Swiss Shooting Fest medals are gorgeous, hiho. Any chance you can post a picture of the back of one of the slabs? I'm curious about the reverse design.

Hello,

 

I am glad you are finding this thread about schützenfest medals interesting. In regard to your comment about the 1911 Olten medal, I can let you know that I posted a picture of both the obverse and reverse sides of the gold example on page 34.

 

Their beauty, intricate detailed engraving, the fact that many examples are in great condition due to the medals being prized by their owners, and their overall rarity drew me to this wonderful hobby. I find it rewarding that this shooting medal thread has so many views and posts from members reflecting many of the same thoughts.

[schutzenfester]

1881 Fribourg, canton Ticino
R404b obverse and R409 reverse as one single medal
Federal Shoot
SilverBronze

47 mm

Engraver: Edouard Durussel, Bern
R404b: RR

R409b: RR

This medal is not listed in Richter and while it may or may not be more rare than R404 or R409, which are both listed as RR, it must be said that Edouard Durussel was a prolific medal designer and maker. He sold his medals at the shoots as souvenirs of the shoot but are still very rare. I do not feel it is all that strange that he made a decision or a mistake putting these two different medal sides together to make a "different" medal in order to make income. It is however not listed in Martin or Richter. I was able to obtain it in its original round cardboard case in UNC condition.

 

[thedeadpoint]

That's the original case?! How many original cases do you come across?