A scarce 2004 commemorative chess medal dedicated to Dutch grandmaster Jan Timman, struck by the Royal Dutch Mint in Utrecht for Stichting Juncta Juvant and connected with the Hengelo chess activities held from 9 to 14 August 2004.

The medal is struck in cupro-nickel and measures 38 mm in diameter. The obverse shows Jan Timman seated at a chessboard, surrounded by the inscription 'Stichting Juncta Juvant - Hengelo (Ov.) - 9-14 augustus 2004', with 'Jan Timman - Schaakgrootmeester' below. The reverse depicts the historic building of the Royal Dutch Mint in Utrecht with its traditional inscription.

This example is complete with its original clear capsule, black presentation case and original double-sided presentation insert. One side of the insert shows a portrait of Jan Timman together with the technical specifications of the medal: cupro-nickel, 38 mm, quality FDC, struck by the Royal Dutch Mint in Utrecht. The reverse side carries a multilingual message about children and the future, the printed designation 'Jan Timman, International Grandmaster', and the text 'Juncta Juvant steunt de kinderen van Europa Kinderhulp'.

Most importantly, Jan Timman personally signed this original insert on the text side, directly above and through his printed name. The medal itself has not been signed or altered and remains protected in its capsule. This is a particularly attractive configuration for a chess memorabilia collector: the autograph is part of the original presentation material while the medal itself remains untouched.

The piece comes from a group originating from the estate of Albert Vasse, former director of DGT and a figure closely connected with Dutch chess events. Vasse is independently documented as having represented Stichting Caissa in the presentation of another Royal Dutch Mint chess medal to Judit Polgar in 2006 in connection with a charitable chess project. This gives the present medal meaningful provenance within the Dutch chess and charity-event milieu of the period.

The exact mintage of this Jan Timman medal has not been established. No reliable published source located to date gives a production figure, so no claim of a specific limited edition should be made. The medal is, however, infrequently encountered on the public market, especially complete with its original case and insert, and a signed original insert is substantially more unusual.

Specifications

Historical Context

The dates on the medal, 9-14 August 2004, coincide with the Open Dutch Youth Chess Championship (ONJK) in Hengelo. A separately catalogued 2004 event token known as the '1 Tukker' names Stichting Caissa and Juncta Juvant, Europa Kinderhulp, the ONJK, the slogan 'Kinderen schaken voor kinderen' ('Children play chess for children'), Hengelo, and the same dates. That token was also produced by the Royal Dutch Mint. Together, these details place the Timman medal within a documented programme combining chess events and support for children.

A further 2004 Juncta Juvant medal featuring Azra Akin (Miss World 2002) is also recorded as a 38 mm cupro-nickel Royal Dutch Mint issue. A contemporary 2004 chess source links both Jan Timman and Azra Akin to an event named 'Child Aid Chess Stars'. This provides a strong contextual connection between Timman, Juncta Juvant, child-aid activities and the wider Child Aid Chess Stars project. It does not, however, prove that this medal was originally issued as a standard set with every numbered Child Aid Chess Stars certificate.

About Jan Timman

Jan Timman (1951-2026) was one of the strongest Dutch chess players of the modern era. He became a grandmaster in 1974, won the Dutch Championship nine times, reached No. 2 in the world rankings in 1982, and played Anatoly Karpov for the FIDE World Championship in 1993. Timman's status in international chess gives original event material and signed memorabilia connected with him substantial specialist interest.

Provenance

From a group originating from the estate of Albert Vasse, former director of DGT and a long-standing figure in Dutch chess. The material later passed through the regional chess community to the present owner. This provenance should be retained with the object and mentioned in any specialist sale.

Condition

Complete in original presentation format. The medal remains protected in its clear capsule; the original case and double-sided insert are present. The original insert states quality FDC. Jan Timman's autograph is on the text side of the insert, not on the medal. For auction purposes, the safest wording is: 'The original presentation insert states quality FDC'; this avoids presenting FDC as an independent third-party grade.