1717 Nurnberg Medal PCGS MS-61

The 200th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation produced some of the most historically significant medals ever struck, and this 1717 Nuremberg silver medal ranks among the finest surviving examples. Martin Luther's posting of the Ninety-Five Theses in 1517 set in motion a religious revolution that reshaped Europe. This medal was produced in Nuremberg, a city at the heart of early Lutheran culture, to commemorate that landmark bicentennial. It is catalogued as Forster-807 and Whiting-226.

The obverse presents a right-facing bust of Martin Luther in bold relief, with the Latin legend MARTINVS LVTHERVS THEOLOGIA DOCT - identifying him as Martin Luther, Doctor of Theology. The portrait is well-struck with strong device definition and fine detail in the hair and clerical vestments. The reverse depicts a tall palm tree rising above a landscape of hills and a winding river. The legend FOLIVM EIVS NEC DEFLUET, drawn from Psalm 1:3 and meaning "Its leaf shall not wither," frames the scene above. Below, the inscription IN MEMORIAM IVBILÆI EVANGELICI SECVNDI D. 31. OCT. records the occasion of the second evangelical jubilee on October 31. The reverse carries attractive cabinet toning with warm reddish-brown hues at the devices.

PCGS grades this medal MS-61, reflecting fully mint state surfaces with original luster present beneath the toning. PCGS has certified only THREE examples in all over the past thirty years--and this is the outright finest of them all! The strike is bold throughout, and the piece shows only the minor marks expected at this grade level. Bicentennial Reformation medals of this type are seldom encountered in collector-grade condition, and a certified mint state example represents a genuine rarity for those building serious collections of Reformation-era numismatic material. For those seeking a historically resonant German silver medal in a verifiable, problem-free state, this piece delivers on every count. The coin pictured is the exact coin you will receive.

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