1817, Germany. Silver "Martin Luther / Reformation Tercentenary" Medal. MS62 PL!

Medallist: Loos
Mint Year: 1817
Mint Place: Nurnberg
References: GPH-425.
Condition: Certified and graded by NGC as MS-62 Proof-Like!
Denomination: Medal - Martin Luther / 300th Anniversary of the Reformation / Martin Luther Memorial.
Diameter: 36.5mm
Weight: ca. 14gm
Material: Silver

Obverse: Togate Martin Luther standing facing, holding holy bible and candle. Medallist´s signature (LOOS) below.
Legend: DOCTOR MARTIN LUTHER / GEB.D.10 NOV. 1483 GEST.D.18 FREBR. 1546
Translation: "Dr. Martin Luther, born 10th November 1483, died 18th of February 1546."

Reverse: Gothic memorial of Dr. Martin Luther as a tabernacle, featuring flowers, open bible, heart and inscription.
Legend: ALLES WAS ODEM HAT LOBE DEN HERRN ("Everything that has odem, praise the Lord!")
Exergue: AM 31 OCTOBER 1817 ("On 31st of October, 1817.")

 

According to the Hebrew Bible, the tabernacle (Hebrew: מִשְׁכַּן, romanized: miškan, lit. 'residence, dwelling place'), also known as the Tent of the Congregation (Hebrew: אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד, romanized: ʔōhel mōʕēḏ, also Tent of Meeting), was the portable earthly dwelling used by the Israelites from the Exodus until the conquest of Canaan. Moses was instructed at Mount Sinai to construct and transport the tabernacle with the Israelites on their journey through the wilderness and their subsequent conquest of the Promised Land. After 440 years, Solomon's Temple in Jerusalem superseded it as the dwelling-place of God.

 

The Protestant Reformation, also known as the Protestant Revolt, was led by Martin Luther, John Calvin and other early Protestants. The efforts of the self-described "reformers" who objected to ("protested") the doctrines, rituals and ecclesiastical structure of the Catholic Church, led to the creation of new national Protestant churches. This was encouraged by the series of events such as the black death or Great Schism, that led to the loss of people's faith in the church. This plus many other factors contributed to the growth of lay criticism in the church, and the creation of the Protestant Religion. The Catholics responded with a Counter-Reformation, led by the Jesuit order, which reclaimed large parts of Europe, such as Poland. In general, northern Europe, with the exception of Ireland and pockets of Britain, turned Protestant, and southern Europe remained Catholic, while fierce battles that turned into warfare took place in central Europe. The largest of the new denominations were the Anglicans (based in England), the Lutherans (based in Germany and Scandinavia), and the Reformed churches (based in Germany, Switzerland, the Netherlands and Scotland). There were many smaller bodies as well. The most common dating begins in 1517 when Luther published The Ninety-Five Theses, and concludes in 1648 with the Treaty of Westphalia that ended years of European religious wars.

 

Martin Luther (10 November 1483 – 18 February 1546) was a German priest, professor of theology and iconic figure of the Protestant Reformation; for which he stands as herold. He strongly disputed the claim that freedom from God's punishment of sin could be purchased with money. He confronted indulgence salesman Johann Tetzel with his Ninety-Five Theses in 1517. His refusal to retract all of his writings at the demand of Pope Leo X in 1520 and the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V at the Diet of Worms in 1521 resulted in his excommunication by the pope and condemnation as an outlaw by the Emperor.

Luther taught that salvation is not earned by good deeds but received only as a free gift of God's grace through faith in Jesus Christ as redeemer from sin. His theology challenged the authority of the Pope of the Roman Catholic Church by teaching that the Bible is the only source of divinely revealed knowledge and opposed sacerdotalism by considering all baptized Christians to be a holy priesthood. Those who identify with Luther's teachings are called Lutherans.

His translation of the Bible into the language of the people (instead of Latin) made it more accessible, causing a tremendous impact on the church and on German culture. It fostered the development of a standard version of the German language, added several principles to the art of translation, and influenced the translation into English of the King James Bible. His hymns influenced the development of singing in churches. His marriage to Katharina von Bora set a model for the practice of clerical marriage, allowing Protestant priests to marry.

In his later years, while suffering from several illnesses and deteriorating health, Luther became increasingly antisemitic, writing that Jewish homes should be destroyed, their synagogues burned, money confiscated and liberty curtailed. These statements have contributed to his controversial status.