A splendid collection of 18 souvenir coins and medals, mostly silver, specially minted to mark the occasion of the official visit of Kaiser Wilhelm II to Palestine. [Germany?, ca. 1898].
On the obverse, the majority of the coins and medals bear the figure of Kaiser Wilhelm II (helmeted, mounted on horseback, and/or accompanied by the figure of the Empress Augusta Victoria); the reverse sides feature various images associated with the journey (such as the imperial yacht, the Church of the Redeemer, and other images), as well as (German) inscriptions commemorating the visit. Highlighting the collection are a number of singularly unique medals, including: • A medal with no portrait, with the (German) inscription "From Jerusalem shall emanate the light [that brightens] the world, by the glow of the light did our German nation gain its strength. Neither power, nor acclaim, nor honor, nor worldly material benefits do we seek here…" (probably circulated to allay concerns that Germany was aiming to take control of the Port of Haifa; two copies of this coin, in two different metals). • Souvenir medal for tourists of the German Imperial House of Hohenzollern: obverse shows images of the Kaiser and the Empress; reverse bears an inscription listing the various pilgrimage journeys undertaken by the House of Hohenzollern through the centuries (from 1340 to 1898 CE).
18 coins and medals. Two duplicates. Size and condition vary. Some with metal suspension loops. One medal with original neck ribbon in the colors of the flag of the German Imperial House. Three medals housed in plastic cases of the Professional Coin Grading Service (PCGS).

Through the months of October-November 1898, Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany toured some of the major cities of the Ottoman Empire, including Beirut, Constantinople, Jerusalem, Haifa, and Jaffa. The visit to Palestine, in particular, was regarded as one of the most salient events in the annals of the Land of Israel in the 19th century.

Preparations for the Kaiser's visit to Palestine had already begun in the summer of 1898. These included a massive municipal clean-up, the improvement and overhaul of infrastructure, the laying of a telegraph line, and other operations. In time for the Kaiser's arrival in Jerusalem, a number of municipal roads were widened. The authorities went as far as breaching a gap in Jerusalem's Old City Wall, adjacent to Jaffa Gate, to enable the smooth passage of the Kaiser's opulent carriage. In addition, the city streets – most notably HaNevi'im Street, where a special tent camp for the Kaiser and his entourage was to be temporarily constructed – were adorned with the flags of Germany and the Ottoman Empire, and with makeshift gates of honor.
The highlight of the Kaiser's visit to Jerusalem was the opening ceremony of the Lutheran Church of the Redeemer. But he also visited the German Colony, the Mt. of Olives, the Christian Quarter of the Old City, City Hall, and other sites. From a Jewish standpoint, perhaps the most historically important event in the Kaiser's itinerary was his meeting with Theodor Herzl.
Throughout his visit, Wilhelm was accompanied by his wife, the Empress Augusta Victoria, and a small entourage. The Kaiser rode either on horseback or in the imperial carriage. Following in the footsteps of his immediate entourage in Jerusalem was a parade of lesser-ranked officials, accompanied by cavalry regiments and "kawas" officials – ceremonial Ottoman-Empire bodyguards. Large crowds of people thronged to Jerusalem to witness the occasion. Many were willing to pay money for the privilege of occupying vantage points on rooftops and balconies overlooking the planned route of the procession.