Ancient, British and World Coins, Tokens, Historical Medals and Banknotes

Brand Whitlock, 1915, plated bronze medal by G. Devreese, 75mm; Herbert Hoover, 1916, plated bronze medal by G. Devreese, 55mm; The Ambassadors of Spain and the USA to Belgium, 1917, plated bronze medal by G. Devreese, with busts of Whitlock and the Marquis de Villalobar, 75mm, all stamped ÉPREUVE D’AUTEUR; The Marquis de Villalobar, 1918, bronze medal by G. Devreese for Fonson, 75mm [4]. Very fine and better but second with obverse edge knock at 10 o’clock, first two scarce (£60-100)

Brand Whitlock was the US ambassador to Brussels in World War I.

Herbert Hoover (1874-1964), 31st President of the United States, 1929-33. At the outbreak of War Hoover, then in London, volunteered to direct the return of thousands of Americans stranded in Europe. He then turned to the aid of war-torn Belgium, heading the Commission for Relief of Belgium from 1915-19, a position that brought him public attention as “the great humanitarian” – a well-earned reputation that he lost only after the 1929 Wall Street Crash. The Commission fed 10 million people during the War, operating its own fleet of 200 ships and transporting 5 million metric tonnes of food

Don Rodrigo de Saavedra y Vinent, Marquis de Villalobar, was the Spanish ambassador in Belgium during World War I