1817 Martin Luther Silver Medal Box - Reformation 300th Anniversary Denmark
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ID: 10-0166
Martin Luther Reformation Jubilee Silver Medal Box, c.1817 Top Medal Artist: Salomon Ahron Jacobson (1755–1830) Origin: Copenhagen, Denmark Box Dimensions: 40 mm tall × 56 mm diameter Weight: 207 grams Material: Solid silver with partial gold wash (gilt interior) Date: 1817 Combining artistic excellence, spiritual symbolism, and precious materials, this box served as both a commemorative object and personal reliquary. The contrast of silver and gold emphasizes its elevated status—likely intended for a high-ranking ecclesiastical or scholarly recipient during Copenhagen’s grand 1817 Reformation Jubilee. Rare, richly detailed, and theologically resonant, it is a superb example of early 19th-century Protestant material culture. Some historical and numismatic information adapted from Numista.com – Reformation Jubilee Medal (1817), a global collaborative coin catalog. Text or Call to Reserve Email to Reserve
1817 Martin Luther Reformation Jubilee Silver Medal Box
This exceptional silver box commemorates the 300th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation, integrating two large struck medals within a finely crafted cylindrical case. The top medal, designed and signed by Danish court medallist Salomon Ahron Jacobson, is an official issue struck for the 1817 Reformation Jubilee in Copenhagen. The bottom medal, unsigned yet thematically aligned, deepens the theological narrative with its depiction of the Crucifixion and Lutheran doctrine.
The interior surfaces of the box are lined in a warm gold wash (fire-gilt or gold-plated), highlighting its status as a luxury devotional object. This gilding not only elevates the visual contrast with the silver medals but also protects the inner surfaces and reflects the reverence associated with the Reformation’s message.
Top Medal (Lid) — Martin Luther Portrait by Jacobson
• High-relief portrait of Martin Luther, facing right
• Latin inscription: “MARTINVS LVTHERVS”
• Signed: “S. JACOBSON F.” (Fecit – “he made it”)
• Interior of lid (gilt): Allegorical female figure with cross and Bible
• Inscription: “LVCEM IN SÆCVLA FVDIT” (“He poured light into the ages”)
• Bottom legend: “SOLEN. SÆC. III. HAVN. MDCCCXVII” (Third Reformation Jubilee, Copenhagen, 1817)
Bottom Medal (Base) — Crucifixion & Law and Gospel Scene
• Unsigned silver medal, artist unknown, likely contemporary to the top medal
• Exterior: Crucifixion scene with Roman soldiers and bystanders
• German inscription:
“Am Creutze ist judicihi vor den Menschen gewesen vnd Gottes Erwählter stehe ung den gewyn”
(“On the cross, He was judged by men, and God’s chosen one stands in victory.”)
• Interior (gilt): Theological tableau of Law and Gospel
• Left: Moses with the stone tablets of the Law
• Right: Christ and the Holy Spirit, symbolizing grace
• German inscription:
“Der Geist nimmet euch vnd der Jesus hilffet auf”
(“The Spirit takes you, and Jesus lifts you up.”)
