Boer War "DAPPERE STRIJDERS" Kruger Medal

A Bronze Boer War "DAPPERE STRIJDERS" Medal by Anton Scharff of the Austrian Mint in Vienna.

The medal was commissioned by Barron Bachhovon von Echt, an Austrian sympathetic with the Boer cause. The small lamb on the reverse is from the von Echt coat-of-arms. The proceeds from the sale were to go towards the support of dependants of Boer soldiers killed or wounded in battle. The issue of the medal was intended to coincide with Kruger’s 75th birthday on 10th October 1900. Ironically on that day Kruger was in Lourenço Marques, Mozambique, awaiting the ship that would take him to exile in Europe.

This example is in darkened bronze which is less common than the issue in regular bronze.  It was also produced in yellow bronze and silver.  On this medal the darkening process was not very successful.  Diameter 39.5 mm.  Mass 25.3 gm.  Very little wear.