1985 Switzerland "World Men's Handball Championships" Hans Erni Silver Medal.
1985 Switzerland World Men's Handball Championships Hans Erni Silver Medal. Exceptionally elevated surface reliefs, original lustrous Bu/UNC Condition. Artistically designed with striking eye-appeal. Limited Mint.
Country: Switzerland
Year: 1985
Subject: World Men's Handball Championships
Material: Silver, Ag (0.900)
Size: 34 mm
Weight: 20 grams
Artist: Hans Erni
- About World Men's Handball Championship: -
The first indoor championship took place in Germany in 1938, involving four teams from Europe made up of 7 players who competed in a round robin stage to find a winner. It wouldn't be until sixteen years later where the second World Championship was held in the country of Sweden. Throughout their history, the World Championships has been dominated by European teams, with no medals being won by non-European countries until 2015, by Qatar. Over the years, the organization of the World Championships has changed. Initially, there were group games in both the preliminary and main rounds, but more recently a knockout system has been applied after the preliminary round.
In 1986, Switzerland won Gold as the host winning in the Finals against Yugoslavia, 24-22.
- About the Engraver: Hans Erni: -
Hans Erni (February 21, 1909 – March 21, 2015) was a Swiss graphic designer, painter, illustrator, engraver and sculptor. Born in Lucerne, the third of eight siblings, to a cabin cruiser engineer, he studied art at the Académie Julian in Paris and later in Berlin, and admired artists such as Pablo Picasso and Georges Braque.
He is known for having illustrated postage stamps, his lithographs for the Swiss Red Cross, his participation on the Olympic Committee as well as his activism. His 1939 works and first major public success was a mural titled Switzerland: "Vacation Land of the People" was commissioned and displayed for the national exhibition in Zürich.
The Hans Erni Museum, situated in the grounds of the Swiss Museum of Transport in Lucerne, contains a large collection of artwork, he also designed ceramics and theatre costumes and sets. He did the art for Swiss bank notes, in the 1940s but, after the notes were already printed they were never published, because a member of the State Council of Lucerne criticized that Erni was deemed as a communist. However, Erni was never a member of any political party. In 2004, he was awarded the honorary citizenship of the city of Lucerne. On 10 January 2009 he received the SwissAward for lifetime accomplishment.
In his career, he realized about 300 posters and several murals — including for the 1980 Salon international de l'automobile, Red Cross, IOC, United Nations and ICAO. He illustrated about 200 books and created 90 Postage stamps and 25 medals.
