Galeria

 

FIGURE 5- Stamped in 1654 by order of the Town Council to commemorate the bicentennial of the return of the city and Prussia to Poland. It is the product of Jan HOhn, Sr On the front is the Pomeranian landscape with the city Above is (he inscription PRUSSIA; in front is the eagle of Oomerania with a sword against the sky; the Polish eagle with a sceptor; over it a Hebrew inscription JAHWE; in the crest THEUTONICOS PEPULITVIRTUS PRUTENIA PULCHRUM NUMINIS ET REGIS CURA TUETUR OPUS Prussian bravery drove out the Tetitons. God’s and King’s care protects the beautiful act. On the obverse, funder the town arms IS tile inscnption GEDANU ANNOS ANTE DUCENTOS SUB AUGUSTIS(SIMIS) D(OMINI) CASIMIRI AUSPICIIS UNIVERSA PROPE CUM PRUSSIA AR INFANDA CRUCIGEROR(UM) tYRANNIDE LIBERATAE TERTIUM LIBERTATIS SUAE SECULUM REGNANTE IOANNE CASIMIRO FELICITER INCHOANTIS MEMORIA AN(NO) MDCLIV = Anniversary of Gdansk, which togetner with nearly whole Prussia two hundred years ago under the highest care of the Polish King Kazimierz, got free from the unbearable tyranny of the Knights of the Teutonic Order and happily begins the third century of freedom at the reign of the Polish King Jan Kazirnierz in 1654). The medal was stamped in gold and silver

FIGURE 6 - Medal stamped in 1754 by order of (lie Town Council to commemorate the tercentenai-y of the return of Gdansk and Prussia, to Poland. On the front side, against the panorama of Gdansk are two eagles -- the Polish eagle and the eagle of Pomorania, with wings meeting together, holding in their claws (lie sign of the defeated Teutonic Order Over the city full of sunshine, tile inscription VICINIA LIBERA CONCORS = Neighborhood free and peaceful. In tile crest the inscription CRUX EQUITUM EXCRUCIAT PRUSSOS PRUTENA POLONA HANC AQUILAE EXCUTIUNT, REXQUE SALUSQUE REGANI = The Knights’ cross defeated the Prussians, the eagle of Prussia and Poland destroyed it. May king and virtue reign. At the back side at the foot, the arms of the city held by two lions. Above it, (lie inscription DEO AUSPICE AUGUSTUS TERTIO POLONIARUM REGE POPULORUM PATRE FELICITER REGNANTE JUBILAEUM GEDANENSE UNIONIS PRUTENO POLONAE MEMORIAE SACRUM REDUCE INCORPORATIONIS DIE FERIAQUARTA CINERUM SECULI QUARTI NATALI ANNO MDCCLIV - Under God’s care, at the happy care of King August III, the Polish King and father of nations, Is the jubilee of Gctansk devoted to the Prussian-Polish unionat the returning anniversary of incorporation, at the beginning of the 4th century, on Ash Wednesday, in 1754. Beneath another inscription PRUSSIACO LECHICI CASIMIRUS FOEDERIS AU(C)TOR TUTOREM AUGUSTUM SECLA TER ACTA COLUNT = Kazimierz, initiator of the Prussian- Polish alliance, the protector [of this unionj August, three past centuries praise.

We hope that you will be able to see the beauty and historical rnessnge in these medals, stamped as long ago as 500 years. Similar designs with eagles, coats of arms and political messages by the party in power are still being designed into commemorative postage stamps.

This adds to the interest of the stamps and has the ability to teach historical data to collectors of all ages. It also makes it incumbent upon the collector to know the history of the country that he collects, so that he can separate facts from propaganda.

 

Danzig Report Vol. 1 - Nr. 96 - July - August - September - 1997, Page 16.