Item number: A1347

Year: AD 1888

Material: Gold

Size: 128.8 x 29.0 x 1.9 mm

Weight: 37.4 g

Manufactured by: Berlin State Mint

Provenance: Stack’s Bowers 2024

This watch fob, composed of three 20 German gold mark coins issued in AD 1888, commemorates the significant historical event known as the “Year of the Three Emperors” in the German Empire. In AD 1888, Emperor Wilhelm I, who had led the unification of Germany, passed away on March 9. His successor, Crown Prince Friedrich III, ascended the throne but was already gravely ill due to throat cancer. Friedrich III reigned for only 99 days before succumbing to his illness on June 15, AD 1888. The throne then passed to his son, Wilhelm II, who would later lead Germany into World War I.

In less than half a year, Germany witnessed the rare and dramatic succession of three generations of emperors within the same year, giving rise to the German saying: “Eins und dreimal acht: Drei Kaiser an der Macht”, meaning, “One and three eights: Three Kaisers in power.” The year AD 1888 is thus remembered in German history as the “Year of the Three Emperors” (Dreikaiserjahr).

At the top of the watch fob is a loop for attachment, while the coins are connected by elegant floral motifs serving as decorative elements. The gold coins embedded within the watch fob are 20 Goldmark pieces, minted in AD 1888 by the Berlin State Mint, featuring portraits of the three emperors who defined that year.

The obverse sides of the three coins are arranged in descending order of reign, featuring right-facing portraits of Grandfather Wilhelm I, Father Friedrich III, and Son Wilhelm II. Below each portrait is the letter “A,” denoting the Berlin State Mint. Surrounding the portraits is a circular German inscription, beginning with the name of each ruler, followed by the shared title: “DEUTSCHER KAISER KÖNIG V. PREUSSEN” (German Emperor and King of Prussia).

The reverse design is identical across all three coins. At the centre is the imperial black eagle emblem, symbolising the German Empire. The lower edge displays the denomination “20 MARK” adorned with small five-pointed stars, while the upper edge bears the country name and year of issue, “DEUTSCHES REICH 1888” (German Empire 1888).

This exquisite watch fob was originally a gift from a member of the German royal family to a resident of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA. In AD 1921, the item changed hands during a public auction, where it was acquired by another Milwaukee resident. The proceeds from the sale were used to support Germany’s post-World War I reconstruction efforts. Following the death of its owner, the watch fob came into the possession of Hubert L. Polzer, the founder of the Milwaukee Numismatic Society.

Polzer, born in Austria, relocated with his family to Milwaukee, where he operated a jewelry store while cultivating an extensive collection of coins. His collection was frequently loaned to schools for academic research and educational purposes. Among his numerous artefacts, this watch fob, crafted from three German 20-mark coins, stands out as one of Polzer’s most cherished treasures.

Polzer further used this watch fob to explain the essence of numismatics to the journalists, emphasising that one should not focus solely on the market value of the collection, but instead seek to understand the cultural and historical context behind it.

物件編號: A1347

年代: 公元 1888 年

材質: 黃金

尺寸: 128.8 x 29.0 x 1.9 mm

重量: 37.4 g

製造地: 柏林國家造幣廠

來源: SBP錢幣拍賣 2024

這一組公元1888年發行的三枚20德國金馬克組成的手錶鍊吊墜，見證德意志第二帝國的「三帝之年」重大歷史事件。公元1888年，帶領德意志諸國走向統一的首任皇帝威廉一世在3月9日駕崩後，由時值壯年之際的儲君腓特烈三世登基帝位。然而腓特烈三世在登基不久前，就因為喉癌手術喪失言語的能力，並且於同年6月15日因手術失敗離世，在位期間僅有99天。腓特烈三世空下的皇位就由太子，即後續將帶領德國走向第一次世界大戰的威廉二世繼承。

德國在短短不到半年內，經歷罕見的祖孫三代在一年內相繼登基為統治者的局面，故留下一句德語順口溜「Eins und dreimal acht: Drei Kaiser an der Macht」意思是「一加三個八，一年有三個凱薩(皇帝)」。公元1888年也以「三帝之年」說法被德國人記憶下來。

手錶鍊吊墜頂端有一個扣環，錢幣和錢幣之間以典雅的花草造型作為裝飾。至於鑲嵌在手錶鍊吊墜上的金幣，出自公元1888年柏林國家造幣廠以三位皇帝為主角鑄造的20金馬克。

三枚錢幣的正面，按統治順序向下排列，分別是祖父威廉一世、父親腓特烈三世和兒子威廉二世的右側肖像，肖像下方皆有一個代表柏林國家造幣廠的「A」戳記。周圍的環形德文銘文皆以統治者名諱為起頭，後續銜接相同的頭銜「DEUTSCHER KAISER KÖNIG V. PREUSSEN」(德意志皇帝兼普魯士國王)。

背面的設計則無二異，在正中央是象徵德意志帝國的黑鷹徽，下緣是以五角星作裝飾的「20 MARK」(20馬克) 面額，上緣則是國名和發行年份「DEUTSCHES REICH 1888」(德意志帝國 1888)。

這件精美的手錶鍊吊墜是德國皇室成員贈予美國威斯康辛州密爾瓦基的某一位民眾。公元1921年，這件收藏品在公開的拍賣會轉手到另一位密爾瓦基居民手上，款項被用以支援第一次世界大戰後的德國重建。隨著收藏者的逝世，這件飾品又轉手至「密爾瓦基錢幣學會」創始人胡伯特·L·波爾澤。波爾澤出生於奧地利，舉家搬遷至密爾瓦基在當地經營珠寶行，並且同時擁有豐富的錢幣收藏，其收藏經常出借給學校進行研究。這枚由三個德國馬克加工而成的手錶鍊吊墜，是波爾澤最為珍貴的收藏品之一。波爾澤更以這枚手錶鍊吊墜向記者解釋錢幣學的精神，即不要只專注在藏品在市場的價值，而是要了解背後蘊藏的文化和歷史脈絡。