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.

The medal is preserved in its original clear capsule and black presentation case, complete with the original double-sided Jan Timman insert. One side of the insert shows Timman's portrait and records the specifications: cupro-nickel, 38 mm, quality FDC, struck by the Royal Dutch Mint in Utrecht. The other side contains a multilingual message about children and the future together with a reference to Juncta Juvant and Europa Kinderhulp.

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 provenance gives the medal additional interest as a surviving object from the Dutch chess-event and charity 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 nevertheless infrequently encountered on the public market, particularly in complete original presentation form.

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. For auction purposes, the safest wording is: 'The original presentation insert states quality FDC'; this avoids presenting FDC as an independent third-party grade.

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