RUSSIA

Extremely Rare Peter I "Capture of Reval" Commemorative Medal in Gold

RUSSIA. Peter I (the Great)/Capture of Reval (Tallinn) Gold Medal, "1710" (in reverse chronogram). PCGS SPECIMEN Genuine--Rim Repaired, Unc Details Gold Shield.

Dia-37.5. Diameter: 47mm; Weight: 63.87 gms. By I. Konstantinov. Obverse: Laureate, mantled, and armored bust right; Reverse: Stylized aerial view of the city's fortifications; to upper right, armored and winged Genius flying left, holding sword and mural crown as indication of the civic capitulation. Edge : Some repair as noted, otherwise plain. VERY RARE and highly brilliant, this majestic medal emanates from the vast series celebrating various annual achievements during the reign of Peter the Great, of which the exploits of the Great Northern War (between Russia and Sweden) play an integral role. Despite some scattered marks and hairlines, it nevertheless retains a stunning overall appearance, along with a highly intricate obverse. Indeed, Peter's portrait seemingly comes alive given the impressive artistic rendition by Konstantinov. This particular medal celebrates the surrender of the city of Reval, now known as Tallinn, the capital city of Estonia. Along with the surrenders of Riga and Pernau, the c apitulation of Estonia and Livonia (Sweden's Baltic provinces) marked a decided shift in the balance of power in the north, with Russia emerging as a clear broker in the region. Though once alleged to have utilized biological warfare in their conquest of Reval, Russia is no longer believed to have been behind the sudden outbreak of a plague within the city. Besieged by Russian forces and ultimately yielding, the city seems to have fallen ill with the disease before the Russian forces were able to lay siege from outside. Nevertheless, the fabled tale of Russians dumping corpses into streams destined for the city remains as an apocryphal example of biological warfare.

From the Pinnacle Collection.

Estimate: $ 30000 - 50000

極其罕見的彼得一世"勝利"紀念金章

1710年俄羅斯彼得一世大帝降服雷瓦爾勝利金章。

I. Konstantinov 所鑄。正面：帶桂冠的胸像，披肩和裝甲，面朝右；背面：設計感十足的城市鳥瞰圖；在右上方，一雙翼勇士裝甲左飛，手持劍和冠冕，以示降服。幣緣：有修補痕跡，光邊。此獎章 非常罕見 ，設計雄偉，為彼得大帝統治時期的各種年度輝煌成就所鑄。其中大北方戰爭（沙俄與瑞典之間爆發的戰爭）的勝利，令俄國從此稱霸波羅的海。儘管有一些零散的痕跡和髮絲痕，整體品相依然完整，Konstantinov 的鑄壓技術亦是巧奪天工，正面人像栩栩如生。 此枚獎章為標誌愛沙尼亞首都雷瓦爾（現稱塔林）一役俄國的勝利。隨著順利攻佔里加和派爾努，愛沙尼亞和利沃尼亞（瑞典的波羅的海各省）的投降象徵著北部力量均勢的明顯轉變，俄羅斯逐漸稱霸波羅的海。儘管曾經被指控在征服雷瓦爾時利用了生物戰，但普遍不再認為俄羅斯是該市內突然爆發鼠疫的幕後黑手。雷瓦爾在被俄羅斯軍隊重重圍困一下最終降服，但鼠疫似乎在俄羅斯軍隊攻佔之前便已在市內流行。然而，傳聞中俄羅斯人將屍體傾倒在市內的溪流，依然是廣為流傳的生物戰例子之一。