Austria, Empire. An Award Medal for the Promotion of Humanistic Studies 1774

In Gold, weighing 38.2 grams, hallmarked on the edge, obverse illustrating the right-facing bust of Archduchess of Austria and Queen of Hungary & Croatia Maria Theresa, surrounded by the inscription "M THERESIA AVG MATER SCIENTIAR BONARVMQ ARTIVM", reverse illustrating the helmeted Roman goddess Minerva seated below an olive tree at the left, with a group of six children in front of her, a long spear in her right hand and a shield at her right side, a collection of books on her lap, her left arm extended and issuing a book to one of the children, two other children reading books, an owl watching in the olive tree watching the activity below, the aforementioned an allegory of the promotion of study and reading, engraver marked "A.W." below the children, inscribed "MINERVAN PACIFICAE PROVIDENTIA" above and "HVMANITATIS STVDIIS INSTAVRATIS CIOIOCCLXXIIII" below, measuring 45 mm in diameter, edge nicks, contact marks, very fine.