Description
Germany Karl Goetz 1938 airship LZ130 medal struck in tin alloy; original dark-gray patina (Kienast 551). VERY rare type; almost impossible to find nowadays, especially in the original condition.
Rare Karl Goetz German airship medal struck in 1938 to mark the christening of Graf Zeppelin (D-LZ130) airship; Kienast reference #551. This was the last “airship type” medal by Goetz made in his lifetime; the breakout of WW2 and the scrapping of all German airships put an end to the long line of his beautiful “dirigible” medals. Only a small quantity of these 1938 medals were made; all were struck in “plain” inexpensive alloys such as tin or zinc. Even fewer specimens survived World War 2, making it one on the rarest “airship type” Goetz medals.
Graf Zeppelin II (German designation D-LZ130) was the sister ship to D-ZL127 Graf Zeppelin – the most famous rigid airship ever built. Unlike it’s famous “sister”, Graf Zeppelin II flew without passengers, completing a number of tests and reconnaissance flights along the British coasts prior to the start of WW2. Some of the largest airships of the time, Graf Zeppelins had a crew of 36 (!!) men each. The airships’ length was 776 feet/236.53 meters; diameter: 100 feet/30.48 meters; gas volume (Hydrogen): 3,700,000 cubic feet/111,000 cubic meters. This giant ship was propelled by five 550-hp Maybach engines at the maximum speed of 80 mph / 128 km/hr. The most successful commercial airship ever built, D-ZL127 Graf Zeppelin flew more than 1,000,000 miles on 590 flights, carrying well over 34,000 passengers without a single injury. Sadly, the “golden era” of these giant airships was brief: the Nazis cut up all of their rigid airships in 1940 as the quality aluminum was needed for Luftwaffe’s warplanes.
This is an excellent specimen with the original uncleaned finish and dark-gray patina; rare this nice. The medal is struck in the non-magnetic tin alloy; it is about 36 mm in diameter; 19.65 grams; plain rim. All Karl Goetz Zeppelin medals are very collectible and highly though-after by many collectors. A scarce “airship type” medal by the famous German medallist in excellent overall condition; don’t miss your chance to add it to your collection!
Karl Goetz was born in Augsburg, Germany and studied in Leipzig, Berlin, Dusseldorf, Utrecht, Le Locle (Switzerland), and in Paris. With the start of WW1 Karl Goetz became an artist known around the world for his 1914-1923 satirical medals. Overall, Goetz created about 180 satirical medals and close to 800 medals overall; all are very collectible and highly prized today. He also designed a series of pattern coins, tokens, and medals for the German Empire, the Weimar Republic, and the Third Reich Germany. Karl Goetz survived WW2 and died in his native Munich in 1950.
This rare Germany Karl Goetz 1938 airship LZ130 medal is not a later reproduction or a copy; it is guaranteed to be 100% authentic or your money back. Not cleaned; these are the actual photos. Don’t miss your chance to add this attractive vintage airship memorabilia to your collection!
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