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Triton XXIII – Session Four – World Coinage Part II, British Coinage and Medals, and Large Lots

Lot nuber 1102

GERMANY, Württemberg (Herzogtum). Joseph Süß Oppenheimer. 1698?-1738. Repoussé Tin Schraubtaler – Box Medal (42mm, 19.10 g, 12h). Commemorating the Rise and Fall of Joseph Süß Oppenheimer (colloquially known as Jud Süß ). Unsigned. Dated 1738.


Triton XXIII – Session Four – World Coinage Part II, British Coinage and Medals, and Large Lots
Lot: 1102.
 Estimated: $ 15 000

World, Tin

Sold For $ 16 000. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

Go to Live

GERMANY, Württemberg (Herzogtum). Joseph Süß Oppenheimer. 1698?-1738. Repoussé Tin Schraubtaler – Box Medal (42mm, 19.10 g, 12h). Commemorating the Rise and Fall of Joseph Süß Oppenheimer (colloquially known as Jud Süß ). Unsigned. Dated 1738. IUD IOSEPH SÜS 1738 OPPENHEIMER, bust of Joseph Süß Oppenheimer left, wearing ornate suit and wig / Views in two registers: in the upper, Oppenhiemer riding right in guarded carriage with two additional soldiers following behind; · FORT · FORT · (away away) above; in the lower, Oppenheimer, bound, riding left in guarded tumbrel on his way to execution, crowds on either side; gallows to left on hill; HIER IST (retrograde D)EIN ORT. Inside contains a total of 19 hand-tinted medallions (17 attached and 2 pasted to the interiors of the front and back of the case)showing scenes of Oppenheimer’s rise and fall. Fieweger 393. Light hairlines. EF. Very rare in this state with all medallions present. An important piece of European Judaica.

Ex New York Sale XL (11 January 2017), lot 1348; Münzen und Medaillon GmbH 41 (11 December 2014), lot 255.

Joseph Süß Oppenheimer (1698?-4 February 1738) was an Ashkenazi Jewish banker and court Jew (German: Hofjude), the financial adviser in Stuttgart for Karl Alexander, Duke of Württemberg (1733-1737). During his career, Oppenheimer made numerous enemies, a number of whom plotted to exact their revenge on him following the Duke’s death.

Oppenheimer was accused of various crimes – fraud, embezzelment, treason, graft, and lecherous relations with gentile women – all of which were traditional anti-Semitic charges. At his heavily publicized trial, Jud Süß (Jew Süß) as he was colloquially known by the citizenry, was sentenced to death on unspecified crimes. While in custody awaiting execution, he was twice given the opportunity to convert to Christianity, which he refused. Strangulated at a gibbet outside Stuttgart, his corpse was displayed in a cage there for six years until the then Duke of Württemberg allowed it to be buried below the gallows. A number of medals, including this Shraubtaler, were produced as keepsakes for those who attended the events.

The case was so notorious that the records were sealed for 180 years. The story intrigued a number of writers and film-makers. Beginning with the 1827 novella by Wilhelm Hauff, they saw in the subject a way to examine deeper metaphysical themes. A 1940 German film, entitled Jud Süß, was a vehicle to exploit anti-Semitic tropes for the purposes of Nazi propaganda and made it the most anti-Semitic film produced. After the war, the Allied Military Occupation banned the film and most of the extant copies were destroyed.

The final winners of all Triton XXIII lots will be determined at the live public sale that will be held on 14-15 January 2020. Triton XXIII – Session Four – World Coinage Part II, British Coinage and Medals, and Large Lots will be held Wednesday afternoon, 15 January 2020 beginning at 2:00 PM ET.

Winning bids are subject to a 20% buyer's fee for bids placed on this website and in person at the public auction, 22.50% for all others.