1946, Austria. Rare Silver "Declaration of Independence" Calendar Medal. 26.4gm!

Description

CoinWorldTV
1946, Austria. Rare Silver "Declaration of Independence" Calendar Medal. 26.4gm!
Mint Year: 1946
Medallist: Hofmann
Mint Place: Vienna (A)
References:  Hauser:A4105, Stroth:1946-2a.
Condition:
Minor scratch in reverse, otherwise a nice XF-AU, struck with matted dies!
Denomination: Calendar Medal  -
Austrian Declaration of Independence (shown in reverse as 27th of April 1945).
Material: Silver (.900)
Weight: 26.40gm
Diameter: 40mm
Obverse:
Bird with laurel spray in beak beneath standing Mars (roman god of war) with lowered sword and shield in upright hand pointing to the St. Stephen Cathedral.
Legend: OESTERREICH IST BEFREIT ("
Austria has been liberated.
") 1946
Reverse:
Annual calendar with various informations such as the solar and moon eclipses, the holidays, zodiac signs, etc.. The date of the Austrian Declaration of Independence (the birthday of the 2nd Republic) and the mint name in lower field.
Vienna fell on 13 April 1945, during the Soviet Vienna Offensive, just before the total collapse of the Third Reich. The invading Allied powers, in particular the Americans, planned for the supposed "Alpine Fortress Operation" of a national redoubt, that was largely to have taken place on Austrian soil in the mountains of the Eastern Alps. However, it never materialised because of the rapid collapse of the Reich.
Karl Renner and Adolf Schärf (Socialist Party of Austria [Social Democrats and Revolutionary Socialists]), Leopold Kunschak (Austria's People's Party [former Christian Social People's Party]), and Johann Koplenig (Communist Party of Austria) declared Austria's secession from the Third Reich by
the Declaration of Independence on 27 April 1945
and set up a provisional government in Vienna under state Chancellor Renner the same day, with the approval of the victorious Red Army and backed by Joseph Stalin. (
The date is officially named the birthday of the second republic.
)
Authenticity unconditionally guaranteed.
Bid with confidence!
Calendar medals.
Medallic items where a calendar (of 12 or 6 months) is incorporated into the design with a theme significant for that year. These items of ephemeral nature are omitted from some national catalogs because of that lack of lasting utility, but that is part of their charm. They are collected because they exist. First issued in the 17th century, hundreds of different designs have been employed to accompany the calendar images. No single nation has monopolized the calendar medal. They have been issued around the world. National mints of Austria, Japan, France â€" and private mints elsewhere â€" are currently issuing calendar medals, often in an on-going series. Themes for these medals have, of course, included Zodiac, astrological symbols, sundials, hour glasses and such time-related devices.
Only 1$ shipping for each additional coin purchased!