Photo Credit: worldqualitycoins
Silver Swiss Shooting Medal from the City of Schaffhausen
Buy It Now Price: $295 (price as of 2016; item no longer available)
Pros:
-Struck in stunningly high relief, this is a 1956 silver Swiss shooting medal from the city of Schaffhausen. It measures 39 mm (1.54 inches) in diameter and was struck in solid silver.
-The medal depicts an exquisitely rendered, crowned ram on the obverse and the winner’s name, Hefti Edwin, and date, 1956, surrounded by a wreath on the reverse.
-Schaffhausen is a small city in northern Switzerland that sits on the banks of the Rhine River. The city first appeared in historical records in 1045 AD and features a ram bursting out of a castle on its coat of arms.
-Some regions of Central Europe, especially Switzerland, have a deeply cherished tradition of holding shooting festivals once a year. Various Swiss cities and cantons have issued shooting medals to hand out as prizes throughout the 19th and 20th centuries.
-Shooting medals have been struck in gold, silver, bronze, tin and aluminum, but silver is the most common metal encountered.
-Mintages for Swiss shooting medals are often shockingly low – usually less than 1,000 pieces. In addition, attrition due to wear, loss and scrapping has reduced the extant population of these magnificent medals even further.
-This example is certified MS-65 by NGC (Numismatic Guaranty Corporation), a third-party grading service. This gives a powerful assurance of authenticity to the specimen.
-MS-65, or Mint State 65, is a phenomenally good state of preservation for a medal that is over 65 years old. This condition is just about as good as a medal (or coin) can get. While the grading scale theoretically goes up to 70, vanishingly few pieces are certified higher than MS-65.
–European art medals in general, and Swiss shooting medals in particular, are often overlooked in today’s antique market. Consequently, despite their rarity, prices are usually quite reasonable.
-The modest $295 asking price for this silver Swiss shooting medal, coupled with its excellent condition and attractive design, should allow for rapid future price appreciation.
Cons:
-This silver Swiss shooting medal is only from the mid 20th century. Although it exemplifies Mid-Century, European design wonderfully, older medals will usually sell for higher prices than more recent issues.
-This medal is struck from silver, which makes it desirable. But a similar medal struck from gold would appeal to collectors even more. However, it would also drive up the price commensurately.
-Cheaper silver Swiss shooting medals are available in the market, particularly if you are willing to forgo a specimen that has been third-party certified as mint state. You are paying a premium for quality here.
