GERMANY. Augsburg, after 1640. Cast Medal (Silver, 44 mm, 21.52 g, 12 h), on wisdom and the judgment of Solomon. By D. Stadler, but an old aftercast. Solomon enthroned, surrounded by five attendants and guards; before him, the two mothers with a dead child and a living child, which one of Solomon’s guards is about to divide in two, SABIENTER within cartouche in exergue. Rev. GOTTES / WEISHEIT•MAN•SEHEN / KANN / AN SALOMON•DEM•FROMEN / MAN: / DANN•WEISLICH•IST•DA•SEIN / GERICHT / WELCHS DER•MVETER•IHR / KIND•ZVE•SPRICHT in nine lines within cartouche; above, Justitia with scales and sword, resting her right hand on Augsburg coat of arms. Forster 195. Kisch 22. Very rare and nicely toned. Traces of mounting, otherwise, very fine.



The scene on the obverse and the nine-line verse on the reverse together provide a rhyming interpretation of the biblical account of the Judgment of Solomon (1 Kings 3:16-28).

In the story, two women each claim to be the mother of the same child and bring their case before King Solomon, ruler of the united kingdom of Israel; when he proposes dividing the child in two, the real mother reveals herself by choosing to surrender the child rather than see it harmed, allowing Solomon to identify the rightful parent.