Watch List notes:

East Germany (GDR): 775th Anniversary of Dessau 1213-1988 / Mendelssohn bust medal (1988); in bronze, by Helmut König; 40.5mm, 31.35g: depicts arms of the city of Dessau on obverse and left-facing bust of Moses Mendelssohn on reverse. Of note is that both the city and the medalist were based in East Germany (GDR) of that time, and nevertheless Konig depicted a Jew on the medal (albeit his figure looks more devilish than in Koenig's other work above). Mendelssohn was born in Dessau, but in light of the regime at the time (1988) it is remarkable that this subject was chosen to adorn a coin celebrating the hertiage of the city: philatelists may know that between 1981-86 East Germany routinely rejected mail which carried philatelic material of Jewish subjects it deemed "objectionable" (see Lot #a61362 for example). In Proof state (case is cracked).