Heritage World Coin Auctions
Long Beach Signature Sale 3057 7-8 Sep 2017
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Netherlands
Haarlem. Printing Press 300th Anniversary silver Medal 1740 AU - Polished, van Loon-145. 64mm/81.63g. By Holtzhey. Obv: Female personification of Haarlem seated, with palm tree holding shields of four men as well as arms of Haarlem above; cherubs with numerous tools surround. Rev: In forrest, Laurens Coster shows printing press character 'A' to Minerva seated on clouds; Cherubs with printing implements surround. Struck to the 300th anniversary of the printing press in Haarlem. A rare medal, exquisitely engraved and struck in high-relief. Several small edge marks are seen and the surfaces have been brightened from past polishing.
The invention of the printing press, occurring around 1440, is generally credited to Johannes Gutenberg, although sects throughout history have claimed Laurens Coster made the same invention either slightly before or simultaneously. Unfortunately, no works by Laurens are known to survive, thus making this claim difficult to prove or disprove.
HID02901242017
Estimate: 500-800 USD
Haarlem. Printing Press 300th Anniversary silver Medal 1740 AU - Polished, van Loon-145. 64mm/81.63g. By Holtzhey. Obv: Female personification of Haarlem seated, with palm tree holding shields of four men as well as arms of Haarlem above; cherubs with numerous tools surround. Rev: In forrest, Laurens Coster shows printing press character 'A' to Minerva seated on clouds; Cherubs with printing implements surround. Struck to the 300th anniversary of the printing press in Haarlem. A rare medal, exquisitely engraved and struck in high-relief. Several small edge marks are seen and the surfaces have been brightened from past polishing.
The invention of the printing press, occurring around 1440, is generally credited to Johannes Gutenberg, although sects throughout history have claimed Laurens Coster made the same invention either slightly before or simultaneously. Unfortunately, no works by Laurens are known to survive, thus making this claim difficult to prove or disprove.
HID02901242017
Estimate: 500-800 USD