Poland - 2012 Smolensk Disaster Silver Medal

Offered is a moving .999AR, 1oz medal struck by PAMP refinery to a proof standard commemorating the disaster at Smolensk in which many high-ranking government officials were killed in a plane crash in 2010. Designed by Ruslana Nowakowska, this piece had an issue limit of 10 000, which was retailed through Inwestycje Alternatywne Profit, SA, and sold out at issue (with a retail price of 398zl).

Interestingly, I have been afforded extensive time with the archival material relating to this piece, among them plaster proposals, which included variants lacking inscriptions at the top of the obverse, as well as roman numeral date in various places / more of the eagle exposed. One particularly interesting rejected design featured a plane colliding with a forest across the central field.

All in all, a significant and well-proportioned silver modern medal of private issue, struck very much to crown mint standards.