Medal of Duke Albrecht von Wallenstein

• medal maker: Hans Rieger, 1631

Following his enfeoffment with the Duchy of Mecklenburg by the Emperor in 1629, Albrecht von Wallenstein (1583-1634) arranged for himself to be depicted as the new territorial lord on his coins: titles and coats of arms were extended. Wismar was added to his existing mints in Gitschin and Sagan and the moneyer Johann Dase was appointed to start producing the coins. Unlike other coins, the Wismar coins did not have any mint mark.

They also had an “M” in reference to his new dominion of Mecklenburg. Although Wallenstein strongly valued coins as a means of representing the dominion, he had hardly any interest in medals. It has also not been recorded whether he was the person who commissioned the medal maker Hans Rieger to produce this object. However, it does show the man from Friedland in his familiar field commander pose.