RUSSIA, Tsars of Russia. Ekaterina II Velikaya (the Great), 1762-1796. Medal (Bronze, 54 mm, 38.08 g, 12 h), on the mint master and Freemason Peter Nikolaus Baron of Gartenberg-Sadogurski. By F. Comstadius, Sadogura (Sadhora), no date (1772). PET•NIC•S•R•I•LIBB•A•GARTENBERG SADOGURSKI CONS•INT•R•P•ET•E•S• Draped bust of Peter Nikolaus Baron von Gartenberg-Sadogurski to right. Rev. Rock in the stormy sea, with several lightning bolts pointing out of a cloud, above the flaming star of the Freemasons with G (Gnosis) and the sun shining through clouds. Mikocki 2940. Oberndörffer 770. Reichel II, 2738. Extremely rare. Minor marks, otherwise, nearly extremely fine.


Baron Gartenberg-Sadogursky (1714-1786) worked as a mining assessor in Norway, ran the Guben mint, and became General Mining Commissioner in Freiberg in Saxony. Ennobled in 1753, he served at the Leipzig mint and later as a Polish royal mint officer. He briefly owned Sieraków (Zirke), likely his burial place. In 1768, he became a Polish noble and head of the Warsaw mint.

That year, the Baron joined Empress Catherine the Great’s service, minting coins and medals in Sadogura during the Russo-Turkish War. During this time this extremely rare medal was issued in limited numbers, possibly as a presentation piece for a local Masonic lodge.