Medal - The wooing of the Balkan Kings
1915 year| Iron | - | 56.8 mm |
| Location | Germany (1871-1948) |
|---|---|
| Emperor | William II (1888-1918) |
| Type | Advertising medallions › Satirical medals |
| Year | 1915 |
| Composition | Iron |
| Diameter | 56.8 mm |
| Shape | Round |
| Technique | Cast |
| Demonetized | Yes |
| Updated | 2024-11-14 |
| Numista | N#422846 |
|---|---|
| Rarity index | 100% |
Reverse
Three heads, surrounded by oval panels bearing their names, are positioned behind an ornate grill-like structure from which hangs, from left to right, a dolphin, attached by its tail and vomiting coins, an embossed apple and heart and, at extreme right, a clenched fist.
Script: Latin
Lettering:
CONSTANTIN GRIECHLAND
FERDINAND RUMAENIEN
FERDINAND BULGARIEN
GROSS
J
RF
RUSS
HILFE! BALKAN!
STREIT FÜR UNS!
Engraver: Karl Goetz
Comment
This complex pre-October 1915 piece by Goetz derides the Allied Powers' (Britain, Russia, France and Italy) clumsy attempts to suborn the Balkan nations in support of their war effort against Germany in 1915. The obverse text is translated as 'Supplication to the Balkans'. G.F.Hill (Keeper of Coins and Medals at the British Museum during the First World War) described the items hanging from the grill on the reverse design as 'emblems of the four Powers of the Alliance: an apple for Italy...heart for the French Republic, dolphin ...for England and clenched fist for Russia'. Bulgaria in fact declared war against Serbia on 14 October 1915, becoming in effect a German ally. On 8 November 1915 Greece declared herself a 'Benevolent neutral', with parties in the country split between support for the Allies and the Central Powers. Romania, after much delay, decided to join the Allies by declaring war against Austria-Hungary on 27 August 1916.
