The obverse and reverse of the medal issued by the Society of Friends of Science in Poznań on the occasion of the 400th anniversary of Nicolaus Copernicus’ birth. The medal was struck by Fryderyk Wilhelm Below (1822–1895), a renowned and prominent seal engraver from Greater Poland, known for creating mainly official seals and medals. Obverse: The profile of the astronomer facing right, holding an object symbolizing the heliocentric system in his left hand. At the bottom are the birth and death dates (BORN 1473. DIED 1543), with the inscription „WSTRZYMAŁ SŁOŃCE WZRUSZYŁ ZIEMIĘ: POLSKIE WYDAŁO GO PLEMIĘ“ (HE STOPPED THE SUN, MOVED THE EARTH: IT WAS ISSUED BY THE POLISH NATION) around the edge. Reverse: In the central part of the medal is the inscription „MIKOŁAJOWI KOPERNIKOWI W CZTERECHSETNĄ ROCZNICĘ URODZIN NA ZIEMI POLSKIEJ ROKU PAŃSKIEGO MDCCCLXXIII CZEŚĆ ODDAJĄ RODACY“ (TO NICOLAUS COPERNICUS ON THE 400TH ANNIVERSARY OF HIS BIRTH ON POLISH LAND, IN THE YEAR OF OUR LORD 1873, RENDERED BY HIS COMPATRIOTS). Around the edge are zodiac signs and the inscription „STARANIEM TOWARZYSTWA PRZYJACIÓŁ NAUK W POZNANIU“ (BY THE EFFORTS OF THE SOCIETY OF FRIENDS OF SCIENCE IN POZNAŃ).