Scarce medallion in great condition.
Issued to commemorate Krugers Presidency in the Raadzaal, from his first election in 1883 to his departure into exile in 1900. Both dates appear on the reverse.
White metal.
Form: Circular.
By: Green & Sons, Johannesburg
Date: 1904
Edge: Plain. Thickness 4.0 mm
Obverse: The bust of Paul Kruger facing left (as on ZAR coinage). Signed: G & S below the bust. On a raised band around, the legend above: S.J.P. KRUGER, Staatspresident Der Z.A.Republic and between stars below: 1883 - 1900.
An oblique view of the Raadzaal (Z.A.R. parliament) Building in Pretoria. In the exergue is the coat of arms of the Z.A. Republic, slanted to the right, with the Republics' motto: Eendragt maakt magt(unity makes strength)" on a scroll to the left and right of the arms.
Notes: A curious variety exists in which the maker's name has been erased from the obverse die (the last medal illustrated).
The British formally defeated the ZA Republic in 1900 and President Kruger left for exile in Europe. While the medal clearly commemorates the seventeen years of Kruger's presidency, the occasion, or purpose, for which it was issued is not known. Because of the similarity of the obverse legend to the Volksstem Funeral Medal, it has been suggested that this medal was also a funeral medal, and hence the date of the issue would have been 1904.
The Old Raadzaal building is situated on the southern side of Church Square in Pretoria and was the seat of the Zuid Afrikaanse Republiek of which Kruger was the President between 1883 and 1900. The building was designed by Sytze Wierda (1839-1911), the chief architect of the Department of Public Works, and was his most important government project.
Wierda came to South Africa from the Netherlands in 1887 and brought modern European architectural ideas with him. The erection of the Raadzaal was the responsibility of John Kirkness. The wood for the furniture and décor came from Norway and was processed by his father-in-law on the Orkney Islands in Scotland. Sandstone was excavated near the present Pyramid Station and the slate came from the Hammanskraal area. President Paul Kruger laid the cornerstone in 1889. A telephone system was also installed by Lt Paul Constant Paff before alterations in 1892. During the Boer War, the building served as a British military hospital. The building was restored in 1989.
What's in the box
1 x 1900 Medal SJP Kruger President
