Award medal - for furthering horse breeding - Oscar II 6th portrait; union legend ND

Reverse

Young horse standing, facing left

Script: Latin

Lettering:
FÖR · HÄSTAFVELNS · FRÄMJANDE

LEA AHLBORN

PRISBELÖNING

Translation:
For furthering horse breeding

Prize reward

Engraver: Lea Ahlborn

Comment

In order to encourage the improvement of horse breeding, King Oscar II issued a decree on the first of November 1872, stating that a special reward medal should be awarded by Stuteri överstyrelsen (stud farm executive board) at annual meetings, to owners of proven young horses, who were considered worthy of being awarded a prize

This piece bears the 6th portrait of these horse medals issued under King Oscar II. However, unlike the ones that would go into normal production, which were made after the union between Sweden and Norway ended, these still bear the old title of Oscar as king of both Sweden and Norway.

Nothing is certain about these, but the most likely explanation is that they were patterns made during the union, almost certainly in 1905, but when that ended, the legend was changed on the pieces that would become standard. Also supporting that explanation is the fact that the reverse is slightly different from the 5th portrait, but identical to the 6th. Assuming this is the case, it was made at the royal mint in Stockholm.

So far, only one is known, but other pieces might exist. The one that is known has a reported proof finish, but that has not been confirmed.