WWI German Reichsnährstand Exhibition Bronze Medal Leipzig 1939 – Cased

An authentic German commemorative and award medal struck to mark the Fifth National Agricultural Exhibition (5. Reichsnährstands-Ausstellung) held in Leipzig in May 1939. The obverse showcases a monumental, deep high relief displaying the official organizational emblem—a stylized eagle with outspread wings perched on a horizontal bar bearing the Gothic fraktur pledge: Blut und Boden. The lower section frames a circular shield detailing the institution's symbols (a crossed sword and grain ear) accented by dual oak leaves, with the outer border crisply inscribed: 5. Reichsnährstands-Ausstellung Leipzig 1939. The reverse is dedicated to a specific agricultural judging tier, showcasing the cleanly struck Gothic text: Frischbutter (Fresh Butter), bordered by an incredibly intricate, dense wreath composed of autumn fruits, wheat stalks, and laurel bundles. The medal is struck from solid, heavy bronze with clean, smooth rim bevels. Accompanying the piece is its original, factory presentation box from the period, covered in a brown faux-crocodile skin leatherette finish, complete with a working brass push-button release clasp, a deep black velvet base liner, and a bright silk-padded upper lid insert. This grouping is preserved in an exceptional, investment-grade state—the medal holds a flawless surface without handling scars, layered with an even matte antique patina, while the box displays only minor edge rubbing.

Country of origin: Germany (Third Reich)
Organization / Event: Reichsnährstand (RNST), 5th National Agricultural Exhibition in Leipzig
Year of Institution / Strike: 1939 (Pre-war period)
Prize Tier Category (reverse): Frischbutter (Fresh Butter evaluation class)
Material and technique: Solid bronze, heavy die-struck configuration, matte tone highlights
Included components: Award medal, original brown crocodile-pattern presentation case with black velvet insert
Condition: Excellent / Cabinet mint state, medal free of rim nicks or surface cleaning scars, presentation box fully operational with an uncleaned interior liner

Historical context:
The State Food Society (Reichsnährstand) operated as the totalitarian government branch responsible for regulating agricultural production, farmers' markets, and food supplies, heavily leaning on the core ideological doctrine of "Blood and Soil" (Blut und Boden) which repositioned agrarian labor as the backbone of the nation. The large-scale national exhibition series functioned as primary propaganda and industrial conventions. The final pre-war gathering in Leipzig in 1939 saw fierce competition among regional dairy cooperatives, with top-tier facilities receiving prestigious medals for achieving strict chemical and sanitary purity scores. The specific "Frischbutter" class remains a scarcer, highly collected variant. Groupings that retain their original factory presentation cases are recognized today as premier, untouched artifacts highly regarded across advanced