Commemorative Medal for the 500th birthday of Georgius Agricola (Georg Bauer) (The Father of Mineralogy)

Item Description

We have something great for all of you collectors of mining/mineral memorabilia. This is the only one of these items that we've ever seen, and would make a superb addition to any collection of mineral or mining related items. This is a commemorative medal celebrating the 500th birthday of Georgius Agricola (sometimes referred to as Georg Bauer or Georg Pawer). If you talk most historians or serious mineral experts, they will tell you that Agricola is credited as "The Father of Mineralogy". His great book, and most famous work, "De re metallica" was the quintessential, systematic, illustrated disquisition on modern mining techniques, including illustrations showing prospecting for ore veins and surveying in detail, along with the process of how to remove ore from rock and convert the ore into metal. It was essentially the first book of its kind to be written in 1500 years (Since Pliny the Elder in the 1st century AD). Agricola is one of the most important figures in the world of minerals and mining. This medal was minted in 1994 in the Czech Republic, exactly 500 years after Agricola's birth. The front of the medal shows a beautifully detailed relief profile image of Agricola's face. The reverse side of the medal shows a depiction of a feathered hat from a miner's uniform above a pick and shovel with an ore cart below. The text says "RUDNÉ DOLOVÁNÍ V OBLASTI SLAVKOSKY LES" which translates into "Ore mining in the Slavkovsky forest area", a reference to the historic Karlovy Vary Region or Carlsbad Region. I don't know what kind of alloy was used to make the medal, presumably bronze, but it's hard to say for certain. A truly beautiful and inspiring piece of mining history depicting one of the most significant figures in the science of mineralogy and the world of mining. If you'd like to know more about Agricola, be sure to read up on any of the countless media sources online. The medal weighs 112.41 grams, and comes with a custom felt-line box for easy display and storage.