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Picture courtesy of City Coins

General L. Botha
Ref: AM 94; Hern 214; Laidlaw 0931.
Silver. Fitted with suspender loop and ring.
DIAMETER: 27.92 mm
WEIGHT: 9.06 grams
ARTIST: G. Devreese, 1902.

It is thought that this medallion was one of series of medallions depicting Boer War Generals which were struck when General Botha visited Europe after the end of the War.

This is the only known contemporary silver medal of Louis Botha who later became the first Prime minister of the Union of South Africa in 1910.

Godefroid Devreese (also known as Godfried de Vreese) was a Belgian sculptor and medallist. He was born in the Belgian City of Courtrai born in 1861. After having started his training at the Academy of Kortrijk, Godefroid Devreese moved to Brussels and continued his training there at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts from 1881 to 1886, having as teachers the sculptors Eugène Simonis and Charles Van der Stappen. He moved to Schaerbeek in 1884 and remained there until the start of World War II. He died in Brussels in 1941.

Picture courtesy of City Coins

General L. Botha
Ref: AM 94; Hern 214; Laidlaw 0931.
Bronze. Fitted with suspender loop and ring.
DIAMETER: 28.13 mm
WEIGHT: 9.43 grams
ARTIST: G. Devreese, 1902

This is the only known contemporary bronze medal of Louis Botha who later became the first Prime minister of the Union of South Africa in 1910.

Picture courtesy of City Coins

General JH de la Rey, 1902
Ref: AM 96; Hern 218; Laidlaw 0695a.
Silver. Fitted with suspender loop and ring.
DIAMETER: 28.90 mm
WEIGHT: 10.61 grams
ARTIST: G. Devreese, 1902

A series of Boer War Generals was produced by this artist, and presumably struck when General de la Rey was in Europe collecting funds immediately after the end of the War. Issue price silver 10 Belgian francs and the bronze 6 Belgian francs.

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General Christiaan de Wet, 1901
Ref: AM 99; Hern 224; Laidlaw 0695c.
Silver. Fitted with suspension loop and ring. 28.00 mm diam., 9.44 g.
DIAMETER: 28.00 mm
WEIGHT: 9.44 grams
ARTIST: G. Devreese, 1902

Picture courtesy of City Coins

General de Wet and General de la Reij
The so-called “Hands Off” medallion due to the legend on the Reverse.
Ref: AM 103; Hern 232; ME Netherlands 11; Laidlaw 0009a.
Silver.
DIAMETER: 39.55 mm
WEIGHT: 28.95 grams
ARTIST: Presumably A. Scharff.

The small image of the lamb on the reverse represents the coat of arms of Karl Adolf Bachhoven von Echt, the art patron who inspired the medal.

Anton Scharff was the son of a medalist and stone cutter. He was born in Vienna in 1845 and from the age of fifteen years he studied at the Vienna Academy under Carl Radnitzky . In 1862 he was a student at the engraving academy in the main mint under Joseph Daniel Böhm . Displaying excellent talent he was appointed as an assistant engraver In 1866 and two years later he was appointed as imperial-royal coin engraver. He became a director in 1881 being appointed as the director of the Vienna Academy of Engraving in 1896. His work stimulating a renewal of the long tradition of the Viennese art of medal making. Such was his reputation that in 1887 the City of London commissioned him to design the official dedication medal to mark the 50th anniversary of the reign of Queen Victoria. The coins of the crown currency were created by him in 1892.

Karl Adolf Bachhoven von Echt was an Austrian industrialist and one time Mayor of Nussdorf. He was a well-known coin collector and co-owner of the Nussdorf beer brewery. He was raised to the status of an Austrian Baron by Emperor Franz Joseph in 1906.

Picture courtesy of City Coins

Burenkrieg Medallion
Two Boers in the veld, one being hit and falling. The reverse depicts the Arms of the Z.A.R.
Ref: AM 103A; Hern 234; Laidlaw 0548.
Silver coated bronze.
DIAMETER: 33.25 mm
WEIGHT: 11.24 grams
ARTIST: the letter “B” on the obverse presumably represents Beyenbach of Wiesbaden.