2018-03-19 Mon

Adm. Lord Horatio Nelson of British Navy was a brave leader who died during the Battle of Trafalgar. He had also led the Battle of Copenhagen in 1801 which led to the end of Denmark’s membership in an alliance which was intended to help Napoleon. The event has been illustrated on a medal which will be offered by Emporium Hamburg from 16th to 18th April.

The League of Neutral Nations or the Northern Confederacy was created to fight against the British impoundment of Danish and Swedish ships from 1798 to 1900. The League comprised of Denmark, Prussia, Russia, and Sweden. It was promoted by Russia’s Czar Paul I along with Napoleon.

The League used "free ships, free goods" ideology while the British went ahead with blockade and embargo of neutral ships trading with France. Preparations for an expedition to the Baltic were on when Paul decided to embargo on British merchant shipping. British and Danish ships in the channel engaged in heavy bombardment. Nelson was ordered to stop the attack but acted as if he did not receive the signal. By the end of the war, the British were successful.

The obverse shows Justice, sitting with scales in his left hand and handing a sword to a warrior in antique costume. A Danish legend reads GUD OG DEN RETFAERDIGE SAG which translates to 'God and the just cause'. The same warrior is shown on the reverse with a Danish shield in his left arms, fighting with a five-headed dragon. A legend reads FIENDENS OVERMAGT TILBAGEDREVEN which translates to 'The enemy’s superior force repulsed'. The 18.9 grams silver medal, designed by German artist Daniel Friedrich Loos, is graded AU by the auction house and has an estimated value of €60.

Image Courtesy: Emporium Hamburg