SWEDEN. 1971 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine Collector Medal. Awarded to Julius Axelrod. Gilt Bronze. Mint State, Edge Nick.

66 mm. Obv: Bust of Nobel left in frock coat, name ALFR. / NOBEL at left, life dates NAT. / MDCCC / XXXIII / OB. / MDCCC / XCVI at right, signed by the artist E. LINDBERG 1902 along lower left border. Rev: Female personification of Medicine seated left, cradling youthful woman to right and catching liquid in a basin; the rocky outcropping from which the liquid flows has a human-like appearance, as though it were a mouth slightly opened, with upper and lower lips visible. Periphery inscribed INVENTAS VITAM IUVAT EXCOLUISSE PER ARTES / REG UNIVERSITAS MED CHIR CAROL. Tablet below Medicine inscribed to the recipient J. AXELROD / MCMLXX. Edge: Marked MJV. (Mynt och Justeringsverket, for the Swedish Royal Mint) BRONS 1971 at 6 o'clock. Beautiful antique golden surfaces exhibit a soft, fine grain sandblast texture. Fully impressed and otherwise smooth, a trivial edge nick at 9:30 on the obverse and tiny planchet flaw (as made) near the upper left border on the same side are noted. Nobel prize winners receive a gold specimen to mark their award, in addition to a cash prize; they are also entitled to up to three gilt bronze medals struck from the original dies, upon the request of the recipients. This is such a medal, one of the very few to come to auction in the United States or abroad to our knowledge, a remarkable statement in itself. While there is the potential that many bronze strikes exist for the various Nobel awards given over the years, the dearth of sales records suggests that they are rarely requested and are likely very few in number. This is only the second we can recall offering in recent years, following on our February 2015 sale of the gilt bronze 1956 Nobel prize in physics awarded to William Bradford Schockley, Jr., which realized $6,463 in our Americana Sale that month. The 1970 Nobel prize in physiology or medicine was awarded jointly to Sir Bernard Katz, Ulf von Euler and Julius Axelrod "for their discoveries concerning the humoral transmitters in the nerve terminals and the mechanism for their storage, release and inactivation." Offered here is a gilt bronze collector medal requested by Julius Axelrod. It is accompanied by the original red leather presentation case, with the recipient's name J. AXELROD and embellishments in gilt on the cover. The maker's name GILLBERGS STOCKHOLM is in small gilt lettering on the base. The case is overall well preserved, with only minimal scuffing to the base, evidence of sticker and pin removals on the inside of the lid. The most significant detraction, however, is the broken right hinge, although the case remains functional, although it requires care in handling. This is an exciting offering for advanced collectors, and we anticipate keen bidder interest. (Total: 1 medal; 1 case)