SWEDEN. Swedish Livonia. Gold Medallic 10 Ducats, ND (1655). Riga Mint. Karl Gustav X. PCGS Genuine--Tooled, AU Details. H-Cz-6352 (R4); Hildebrand I, pg. 347-23. Weight: 34.17 gms. By: John Hohn. Obverse: Crowned, armored, and mantled bust of Gustav X slightly right; Reverse: Scepter and sword of the King float between clouds above Riga; before the city, boats on water; in foreground: arms of the city of Riga. Demonstrating an impressive motif to match the gaudy size, this medal in the weight of 10 Ducats celebrates an important, if brief, moment in the histories of both the Kingdom of Sweden and the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. In 1655 Sweden invaded the Commonwealth seeking spoils and vengeance for the claims made by Sigismund III to the Swedish throne. A significant amount of the Commonwealths territory was occupied, in an event subsequently known as the "Deluge." Riga was one of the first cities occupied, and this medal was produced to celebrate the new rulership by John Hohn, who hitherto had produced medals for the Commonwealth. <p>The notation of tooling arises from some marking in the field right of Gustav, though these perturbations are not aggressive nor unsightly. The luster that is still present is bright and wholly original, with wear being limited to the uppermost reaches of the portraiture. A historically interesting medal that illustrates Rigas brief association with Sweden, and a medal that has much merit in terms of its artistic beauty. From the Anthony J. Taraszka Collection.<p>Ex: Hirsch 200 (09/1998) Lot #188.
