World Historical Medals

Lot 3401    Session 13 (2.30pm Thursday)    World Historical Medals

Estimate $800
Bid at live.noble.com.au

HUNGARY, The Hungarian Treasury Award in bronze (100mm) uniface medal mounted on marble block (22x30cm) with affixed brass plaque named to, 'Nagy Marcelnak (sic)/1948.11.25'; Hungarian Football League (Federation) medal, 1938, in zinc (48mm), reverse inscribed, 'Nagy Marcellnak/1938/X3', cased; unmarked soccer medal in enamel and steel (?) (61mm), obverse, soccer player and around border three bands of enamel in red, white and green, the Hungarian national colours, reverse, plain and inscribed, 'Nagy Marcellnak', in unofficial case; The 'Toto' Lottery Soccer Medals, Summer Cup 1928, in bronze (41mm), reverse inscribed, 'Nagy Marcellnak/1928 X.3', and Winter Cup 1947, in silvered bronze (40mm), reverse inscribed, 'Nagy Marcellnak/1947/Teli-Hupa'; case only with plaque inscribed, 'Nagy Marcellnek (sic)/az onzetien munkaert (self sacrificial i.e. for his dedicated work)'; cigarette case in gilt with affixed initials, 'NM'; small, commemorative .835 silver beaker with affixed enamel arms for DFB (Deutscher Fussball-Bund) (German Football Association) and inscribed, 'Budapest - Berlin/22 Mai 1935'; timber lined .800 silver cigarette box (L13.5xW8.5xH4.3cm), affixed to the top is an enamel logo, DFB and around Deutscher Fussball-Bund; EPNS tray (18cm) with enamel crest in centre of OFB (Osterreichische Fussball-Bund) (Austrian Football Association), below inscribed, 'Ungarn - Osterreich (Hungary - Austria)/Budapest, 3 Oktober 1948'; stainless steel plate (21cm), centre inscribed, 'O.F.B./10.X.1937'. The second last with some rust, otherwise fine - extremely fine. (10)

Together with framed coloured caricature of Marcel Nagy carrying wads of bank notes and a bag of money to the bank; a framed b&w photo of Marcel Nagy at the football in Sydney; various documents and newspaper clippings, several of these in Hungarian, some with English translation. Included are important references, including a glowing report from the Hungarian Football Federation, and offers of important football management positions as well as documents relating to the establishment of Soccer World magazine.

Upon Marcel Nagy's death a warm tribute was published in Soccer World, Vol 15, No 1, 21 January 1972. Under the banner, 'Soccer Pioneer Dies in Sydney', it stated as follows,

'It is with extreme sadness that we announce the death of Marcel Nagy, one of the founders of "Soccer World". He died on December 24, at the age of 79, in Sydney Hospital.

He came to Australia in 1957, after an illustrious sporting career in his native Hungary. For some 35 years, he was one of Hungary's leading soccer administrators. In 1957, immediately after the Revolution, he became president. However, a few months later he left Budapest to join his daughter in Sydney.

Marcel Nagy played a major part in the spectacular development of European soccer between the two world wars. A close friend of Austria's Hugo Meisl, he was instrumental in the formation of the Mitropa Cup, forerunner of all of today's great European cup events. For years he was a member of FIFA executive and attended World Cups and Olympics. After the last war it was Marcel Nagy who introduced Football Pools in Hungary.

Soon after his arrival in Sydney, he and a few friends decided to start a soccer weekly - "Soccer World". Since then several publications have started and folded up - "Soccer World", however, has been publishing without interruption ever since, now starting its 15th year. During all these years Marcel Nagy was Chairman of Soccer World Publishing Co as well as the newspaper's Business Manager.

His inestimable contribution to the establishment of soccer in Australia was widely acknowledged. Some years ago he was invited to join the NSW Management Committee while the St George Budapest Club elected him Life President.'

Marcel Nagy was the father of Marta Daniel who, with her husband, operated a well known and respected coin and stamp shop in Sydney City under the name of Martin Daniel. When her husband died Marta continued trading for many more years until she sold her business, then located in the Royal Arcade, and retired.