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

First World War, Defeat of Serbia, 1915, small bronze medal by Hornlein, muscular nude male figure strangling a dragon, f h in field, reverse three wreaths inscribed B D and ÖV within, vergeltung für sarajevo okt nov dez 1915 around, 36mm. Almost extremely fine (£10-15)

The reverse legend vergeltung für sarajevo [“revenge for Sarajevo”] harks back to the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand and his wife by the Serb nationalist, Gavrilo Pricip, at Sarajevo, Bosnia, an event that directly led to the First World War. At first successful in holding off an Austrian offensive in 1915 Serbia was invaded by Bulgaria and by December Serbia had been occupied by the Central Powers; the Serbian government and remnants of the army fled to the Greek island of Kérkira (Corfu).