Special Exhibition: Through a Collector's Eyes: The Most Beautiful Medal!

This special numismatic exhibition features medals spanning two millennia—from antiquity through the Renaissance to the modern era—selected with a collector’s eye. Medals are small works of art produced in series, created by famous artists as well as by unknown artists who produce outstanding works in this medium. In this exhibition, medal collectors showcase their personal favorite pieces.

In designing the exhibition, the Bavarian Numismatic Society (Bayerische Numismatische Gesellschaft e. V.) collaborated with the Munich Coin Cabinet to take a unique approach. The special exhibition “Through a Collector’s Eyes: The Most Beautiful Medal!”, which has already been on view at the Munich Residenz,
focuses on the collectors’ personal perspectives: Which medal is their favorite, and why? With no restrictions on theme, period, or artist, they were invited to submit up to three favorite medals along with their own explanations.

The concept was inspired by the exhibition “The Collector’s Eye: The Subjective as Principle” at the Fritz Koenig Museum in Landshut (2022). While that exhibition centered on a single artist, our exhibition showcases the diversity of medal art spanning more than two millennia.
From approximately 150 submissions, a blind jury selected 75 medals. These were photographed on both sides, and the collectors’ personal texts were published almost verbatim in the accompanying volume. In this way, the subjective perspective is preserved.
 
On display are works by well-known artists such as Rodin, Boldù, Pisanello, Manzù, and Fritz Koenig, as well as works by lesser-known artists. The exhibition spans the history of medal art, from its origins in antiquity through the technical perfection of the 19th century to the minting techniques of the 20th century. What matters is not a work’s fame, but its exceptional quality—its visual concept, formal language, meaning, materiality, or beauty. At the same time, the project highlights the importance of private collections. Many collectors build their collections over decades, often without public recognition. Yet private collections are important sources for research and exhibitions. Loans and donations can enrich public museums and open up new perspectives on medal art.