A Danish medal with Charles de Gaulle

by Jørgen Sømod (numis@vip.cybercity.dk)

In the 1970's there was in Denmark a spread distrust to the stability of money, why many normal people as investment placed fortunes in collectibles. In satisfying the demand there were several, who just manufactured collectibles. It was only a question about fantasy and letting the ideas be realised.

Ceverin Petersen, owner of the firm C & M, 7080 Børkop, Denmark told in february 1977 he wanted to issue a serie of medals showing a row of important people from the WWII. The serie was called The Matadors and the reverses were the same on all the medals; it was a kind of certificate of warranty with a statement of the serial number of the single medal. The reverse inscription is: MAX. 5000 / NR. (no.) / PUBLISHER / INTERNATIONAL / C&M / 7080 BØRKOP / DENMARK The warranty said, that not more than 5000 of each medal would be produced, but probably highest a tenth and for sure much lesser were struck. The dies were made partly by medallist Frode Bahnsen and partly by medallist Bent Jensen. They were all struck at the factory MEKA in Copenhagen. Among these of the medals, which were done by Bent Jensen shall here be accentuated that one with Charles de Gaulle.

Moreover were strucked medals with Winston Churchill, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Josef Stalin, Adolf Hitler, Benito Mussolini, Charles de Gaulle, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Montgomery, Erwin Rommel and Josip Broz Tito. All the medals are seen in bronze and gilt bronce.

There were projected a number of further medals, which because of failing interesting for the whole project never were made: emperor Hirohito, G. Sjukov, H.S.Truman, Mannerheim and Folke Bernadotte.

Brought to you by Association des Numismates Francophones du Canada