AN ORIGINAL GERMAN SATIRICAL IRON MEDALLION FOR THE SINKING OF THE R.M.S. LUSITANIA, 1915

by Karl Goetz, showing the error date of the 5^th May: obverse, the ship, laden with planes, guns and weaponry, sinking, inscribed KEINE BANN WARE, date below 5 MAI, reverse, Death, as the clerk, selling tickets to a crowd that includes a top-hatted Count Johann-Heinrich von Bernstorff, the German Ambassador to the USA, raising a warning finger -- 56mm; together with an example of the English copy, complete with box and leaflet.

(2)

Literature:

Fearon, Daniel, The Lusitania Medal, Numismatic Circular, April 1965, pp.82-83

Kienast, Günter W., The Medals of Karl Goetz, Cleveland, Ohio, 1967, no. 156, pp.13-18

Karl Goetz (1875-1950) was a prolific medallist based in Munich and produced a series of satirical medals throughout the First World War and beyond. The sinking of the Lusitania had been reported in the Munich newspapers as having occurred on the 5^th May and Goetz simply repeated the date on his medal, however later correcting it. This is an original example of the medal showing the uncorrected date of the 5^th May. In London examples of the medal with the error date had been seen as obvious evidence of a pre-meditated crime. Gordon Selfridge (of the department store), arranged to have multiple copies made which were sold (for a shilling) to raise money for St. Dunstan’s and other war charities. These medals proved a great success and examples were also made and marketed in the USA and Italy.