Coins, Tokens and Historical Medals

GERMANY, Alfred, Lord Northcliffe, 1914, a cast bronze medal by K. Goetz, half-length figure right sharpening a quill, rev. der bearbeiter der englisch volks seele [The Moulder of English Public Opinion], devil seated atop flaming globe, newspapers at right, 58mm (K 150). Good very fine £100-£120

Alfred Charles William Harmsworth, Lord Northcliffe (1865-1922), virtually revolutionised the newspaper and magazine publishing business between 1888 and his death. He and his brother Harold bought the London Evening News in 1894, and in 1896 Alfred established the first popular English daily paper, the Daily Mail. In 1903 he launched the world’s first tabloid paper, the Daily Mirror, which by 1914 had a circulation of over 1 million copies – hence the ‘English public opinion’ message on Goetz’ satirical medal