British Official Coronation & Jubilee Medals, etc.

I don't know if anyone here collects this sort of medal, but in case anyone's interested, I thought I'd post the ones I own, in the trays in which I keep them -- since I don't have individual photos of all of them. I began collecting them around 1999, and at one point had a fairly complete collection in silver of official coronation and jubilee medals issued by the Royal Mint (plus the official 1911 Prince of Wales investiture medal issued for the future Edward VIII [who abdicated before he was crowned], plus quite a few unofficial medals issued by private companies), running from James I through George VI -- there was no official coronation medal issued for Elizabeth II, so I used the one issued by Spink as a substitute. I eventually sold a lot of them for financial reasons, and, in doing so, confirmed the well-known fact that they're very undervalued, despite their often extremely low mintages, usually in the 450-1200 range. When things got better for me I bought a number of the types back, some in bronze instead of silver to save money, and think I have a decent collection at this point, albeit still missing quite a few that I once owned. Beneath the two photos of each tray (one for each side), I will post the descriptions of each medal from the personal catalog I keep. Hopefully people will be able to enlarge the tray photos by clicking on them, and thereby see the individual coins reasonably well.

The first tray, containing smaller medals:





First Row, Left to Right:

England, Charles II, Official AR English Coronation Medal, 1661, by Thomas Simon. Obv. Crowned and draped bust right, CAROLVS. II. D.G. ANG. SCO. FR. ET. HI. REX. / Rev. The King enthroned, left, holding scepter with right hand, crowned by Peace, flying right above, EVERSO. MISSVS. SVCCVRRERE. SECLO. XXIII. APR. 1661. 29 mm. Eimer 221 & Pl. 26 [Eimer, C., British Commemorative Medals and their Values (2nd ed. 2010)]; MI i p. 472/76 & Pl. xlv, no. 725 [Medallic Illustrations of the History of Great Britain and Ireland, Vol. I p. 472, No. 76 (1885, reprinted 1969)]; Wollaston p. 6, no. v & ill. 5 [H. Wollaston, British Official Medals for Coronations and Jubilees (1978)]. Purchased from Historical Medallions, UK.

England, William & Mary, Official AR Coronation Medal, 1689, by J. Roettier. Obv. Busts of William & Mary right, conjoined and draped, William laureate, GVLIELMVS. ET. MARIA. REX. ET. REGINA./ Rev. Jove hurls thunder from cloud at Phaethon, falling from his chariot, the earth in flames at left, NE TOTVS ABSVMATVR [That it may not all be consumed]; in exergue, INAVGVRAT. II AP 1690. MI I, 662/25 [Medallic Illustrations of the History of Great Britain and Ireland, Vol. I p. 662, No. 25 (1885, reprinted 1969)]; Eimer 312 & Pl. 40 [Eimer, C., British Commemorative Medals and their Values (2nd ed. 2010)]; Wollaston pp. 7-8 no. viii & ill. 9. 35 mm., 17.07 g. Purchased from Hedley Betts, 11 Jan. 2008.

England, Anne, Official AE Coronation Medal, 1702, by John Croker. Obv. Bust left, draped. ANNA D:G: MAG BR: FR: ET. HIB: REGINA. / Rev. Pallas Athena, standing right, hurls thunderbolt at two-headed monster [= France & Spain] wielding club, VICEM GERIT. ILLA . TONANTIS.; in exergue, INAVGVRAT XXIII AP MDCCII. 34 mm. Eimer 390 & Pl. 48; MI ii, p. 228/4 & Pl. cxv, no. 4; Wollaston p. 8, no. x & ill. 10. Purchased from Hedley Betts, Jan. 2020.

Great Britain, George I, Official AR Coronation Medal, 1714, by John Croker. Obv. Bust right, laureate, armored, and draped, GEORGIVS. D: G. MAG. BR: FR: ET. HIB: REX / Rev. King enthroned, right, crowned by Britannia with right hand as she holds spear and shield in left hand; in exergue, INAVGVRAT. XX. OCT. MDCCXIII. 34 mm. Eimer 470 & Pl. 56, MI ii, p. 424/9 & Pl. cxxxix, no. 7; Wollaston p. 8, no. x & ill. 11. Purchased from Hedley Betts, Dec. 2019.

Second Row, Left to Right:

Great Britain, George II, Official AR Coronation Medal, 1727, by John Croker. Obv. Laureate, armored and draped bust left, GEORGIVS. II. D. G. MAG. BR. FR. ET. HIB. REX. / Rev. King enthroned right, crowned by Britannia with right hand as she holds cornucopiae and leans on fasces behind her, VOLENTES - PER – POPULOS around; in exergue, CORON. XI. OCTOB. MDCCXXVII. in exergue. 34 mm. Eimer 510 & Pl. 61; MI ii 479/4; Wollaston, p. 9 no. xi & ill. 12. Purchased from Arnold Saslow, 18 Feb. 1999.

Great Britain, Queen Caroline, Official AR Coronation Medal, 1727, by John Croker. Obv. Bust of the Queen left, CAROLINA. D:G. MAG. BR. FR. ET. HIB. REGINA. / Rev. Queen in royal robes standing facing, attended on either side by Religion on left with an open book, and Britannia on right with spear and shield; HIC. AMOR - HAEC. PATRIA. around; in exergue, CORON. XI. OCTOB. MDCCXXVII. 34 mm. Eimer 512 & Pl. 61; MI ii 480/8; Wollaston p. 9 no. xii & ill. 14. Purchased from Sovereign Rarities, Ltd., London, UK.

Great Britain, George III, Official AR Coronation Medal, 1761, by Laurence Natter. Obv. Laureate and armored bust right, GEORGIVS. III. D.G.M. BRI. FRA. ET. HIB. REX. F. D., initials “L.N.” on truncated right shoulder / Rev. King seated left on throne holding long scepter in left hand and raising right arm towards Britannia standing right holding crown above his head, with shield and trident behind her; lion crouched behind throne, facing, holding orb; PATRIAE . OVANTI around; in exergue, CORONAT. XXII. SEPT and year 1761 in modified “Gothic” Roman numerals (CIƆIƆCCLXI). 34mm. BHM 23; Eimer 694 & Pl. 78; Wollaston p. 10, no. xiii(a) & ill. 16. Purchased from Hedley Betts, Oct. 2020.

Great Britain, George IV, Official AE Coronation Medal, 1820, by Benedetto Pistrucci. Obv. Laureate bust left, GEORGIUS IIII D.G. BRITANNIARUM REX F.D. / Rev. King enthroned left, crowned by Victory behind him; before him stand Britannia, Hibernia, and Scotia; PROPRIO JAM JURE ANIMO PATERNO around; in exergue, INAUGURATUS DIE. JULII. XIX ANNO. MDCCCXXI. 35 mm. BHM 1070; Eimer 1146a & Pl. 125; Wollaston p. 12, no. xv & ill. 24.

Third Row, Left to Right:

Great Britain, William IV, Official AE Coronation Medal, 1830, by William Wyon. Obv. Bare head right, WILLIAM THE FOURTH CROWNED SEP:8 1831; under head, W. Wyon, S. / Rev. Diademed head of Queen Adelaide right, ADELAIDE. QUEEN CONSORT. CROWNED SEP: 6 1831; under head, W. Wyon, S. 33 mm. BHM 1475; Eimer 1251 & Pl. 137; Wollaston p. 12, no. xvi & ill. 25.

Great Britain, Victoria, Official AE Coronation Medal, 1838, by Benedetto Pistrucci. Obv. Bust left, wearing plain diadem, with hair tied straight back, VICTORIA D.G. BRITANNIARUM REGINA F.D., initials B.P. under head / Rev. Queen seated on dais facing left, holding scepter in left hand and orb in right hand, with lion behind holding thunder of Jove in right paw; standing to left, Britannia, Hibernia, and Scotia, all helmeted, offer the imperial crown to Queen; ERIMUS TIBI NOBILE REGNUM; in exergue, INAUGURATA DIE JUNII XXVIII MDCCCXXXVIII. 36 mm. BHM 1801 [Brown, Laurence, British Historical Medals Vol. II, 1837-1901 (Seaby 1987)]; Eimer 1315 & Pl. 144; Wollaston p. 13, no. xvii & ill. 26. Purchased from Charles E. Kirtley, 8 Jan. 2000.

Great Britain, 1837-1897, AR Official Royal Mint Diamond Jubilee Medal to Commemorate 60th Anniversary of Victoria's Reign (small, with envelope). Obv. Bust left, crowned, veiled, and draped, VICTORIA ANNVM REGNI SEXAGESIMVM FELICITER CLAVDIT XX IVN. MDCCCXCVII. / Rev. Young head of the Queen, left, dividing inscription LONGITVDO DIERVM IN DEXTERAEIVS ET IN SINISTRA GLORIA; below, 1837 upon laurel branch tied with ribbon. By G.W. de Saulles, after T.Brock/W. Wyon. 26 mm. BHM 3506 [Brown, Laurence, British Historical Medals Vol. II, 1837-1901 (Seaby 1987)]; Eimer 1817b; Wollaston p. 89.

Great Britain, Edward VII, AR Official Coronation Medal (small), 1902, by G.W. de Saulles. Obv. Crowned bust of King right, wearing coronation robes, EDWARD VII CROWNED 9. AUGUST 1902 / Rev. Crowned bust of Queen Alexandra right, wearing coronation robes, ALEXANDRA QUEEN CONSORT around, with date 9. AUG. 1902 on a ribbon beneath bust. 31 mm. BHM 3737; Eimer 1871b; Wollaston p. 13 no. xviii.

Fourth Row, Left to Right:

Great Britain, George V, AR Official Coronation Medal (small), 1911, by B Mackennal. Obv. Bust left, crowned and draped; an orb before, GEORGE V CROWNED JUNE 22 1911 / Rev. Bust of Queen Mary, left, crowned and draped, QUEEN MARY JUNE 22 1911. 31 mm. BHM 4022, Eimer 1922b; Wollaston pp. 13-14 no. xix.

Great Britain, AR Official Medal for Investiture of Prince of Wales [the future Edward VIII], 1911, by W. Goscombe John, in red leather case of issue. Obv. Bust three-quarters l., crowned and draped, CARNARVON IVLY. XIII MCMXI across the field; INVESTITURE OF EDWARD PRINCE OF WALES. K.G. / Rev. Caernarvon Castle; the Welsh dragon, below; GORPHENAF MCMXI above, on a radiate sky decorated with the Prince's crest within Garter, crowned; ARWISGIAD. IORWERTH TYWYSOG. CYMRU. M.G. 35 mm., 22.5 g. Eimer 1925 & Pl. 214, BHM 4079. Purchased from Karl Stephens, Inc., Oct. 13, 1999.

Great Britain, George V & Queen Mary, AR Official Silver Jubilee Medal, 1935 (small), by Percy Metcalfe, in cardboard case of issue. Obv. Busts of the King and Mary left, crowned and draped, VI MAII MCMX MCMXXXV / Rev. View of Windsor Castle, STET - FORTUNA DOMUS. Bright finish. 32 mm. BHM 4249; Eimer 2029b; Wollaston p. 90.

Great Britain, George VI AR Official Coronation Medal (small), 1937, by Percy Metcalfe. Obv. Bust left, crowned and draped, GEORGE VI CROWNED 12 MAY 1937 / Rev. Bust of Queen Elizabeth left, crowned and draped, QUEEN ELIZABETH 12 MAY 1937. 32 mm. BHM 4314; Eimer 2046b; Wollaston p. 14 no. 29.

Fifth Row, Left to Right:

Great Britain, George VI AE Official Coronation Medal (small), 1937. [See description of AR small medal above. Same catalog numbers.]

Great Britain, Elizabeth II Unofficial AE Coronation Medal, 1953 (small), by Spink and Son, in cardboard case of issue. Obv. Crowned bust right. Around left field: ELIZABETH II, around right field: CROWNED JUNE 2ND 1953 / Rev. View of Buckingham Palace with trees on left, seen from across the lake in St James's Park. In exergue, rose, thistle, shamrock and daffodil (the emblems of England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales); SPINK LONDON (below exergual line). 32 mm. BHM 4458; Eimer 2086b.

Second Tray, for Larger Medals:






Catalog Descriptions:

First Row, Left to Right:

Great Britain, 1837-1897, AR Official Royal Mint Diamond Jubilee Medal to Commemorate 60th Anniversary of Victoria's Reign (large), in red leather case of issue. Obv. Bust left, crowned, veiled, and draped, VICTORIA ANNVM REGNI SEXAGESIMVM FELICITER CLAVDIT XX IVN. MDCCCXCVII. / Rev. Young head of the Queen, left, dividing inscription LONGITVDO DIERVM IN DEXTERAEIVS ET IN SINISTRA GLORIA; below, 1837 upon laurel branch tied with ribbon. By G.W. de Saulles, after T.Brock/W. Wyon. 56 mm, 82.5 g. BHM 3506 [Brown, Laurence, British Historical Medals Vol. II, 1837-1901 (Seaby 1987)]; Eimer 1817a & Pl. 200; Wollaston pp. 89-90 & ill. 40.

Great Britain, 1837-1897, AE Official Royal Mint Diamond Jubilee Medal to Commemorate 60th Anniversary of Victoria's Reign (large). [See description of AR Medal.] BHM 3506; Eimer 1817a & Pl. 201; Wollaston pp. 89-90 & ill. 40.

Great Britain, Edward VII, AR Official Coronation Medal (large), 1902, by G.W. de Saulles, in red leather case of issue. Obv. Crowned bust of King right, wearing coronation robes, EDWARD VII CROWNED 9. AUGUST 1902 / Rev. Crowned bust of Queen Alexandra right, wearing coronation robes, ALEXANDRA QUEEN CONSORT, with date 9. AUG. 1902 on a ribbon beneath bust. 56 mm. BHM 3737; Eimer 1871a & Pl. 209; Wollaston p. 13 no. xviii & ill. 27.

Second Row, Left to Right:

Great Britain, Edward VII, AE Official Coronation Medal (large), 1902, by G.W. de Saulles. 56 mm. [See description of AR large medal above. Same catalog numbers except not illustrated in Eimer.] Purchased from Coincraft, London, UK, June 1999.

Great Britain, George V, AR Official Coronation Medal (large), 1911, by B Mackennal, in red leather case of issue. Obv. Bust left, crowned and draped; an orb before, GEORGE V CROWNED JUNE 22 1911 / Rev. Bust of Queen Mary, left, crowned and draped, QUEEN MARY JUNE 22 1911. 51 mm. BHM 4022; Eimer 1922a & Pl. 214; Wollaston pp. 13-14 no. xix & ill. 28.

Great Britain, George V, AE Official Coronation Medal (large), 1911, in red leather case of issue. [See description of AR large medal above. Same catalog numbers except not illustrated in Eimer.]

Third Row, Left to Right:

Great Britain, George V & Queen Mary, AR Official Silver Jubilee Medal, 1935 (large), by Percy Metcalfe. Obv. Busts of the King and Mary left, crowned and draped, VI MAII MCMX MCMXXXV / Rev. View of Windsor Castle, STET - FORTUNA DOMUS. Matte finish. 57 mm. BHM 4249; Eimer 2029a & Pl. 226; Wollaston p. 90 & ill. 41.

Great Britain, George VI, AR Official Coronation Medal (large), 1937, by Percy Metcalfe, in red leather case of issue. Obv. Bust left, crowned and draped, GEORGE VI CROWNED 12 MAY 1937 / Rev. Bust of Queen Elizabeth left, crowned and draped, QUEEN ELIZABETH 12 MAY 1937. 57 mm. BHM 4314; Eimer 2046a & Pl. 228; Wollaston p. 14 no. xx & ill. 29. Purchased from Spink, London, UK, Dec. 1999.

Great Britain, Elizabeth II AE Unofficial Coronation Medal, 1953 (large), by Spink and Son. Obv. Crowned bust right. Around left field: ELIZABETH II, around right field: CROWNED JUNE 2ND 1953. / Rev. View of Buckingham Palace with trees on left, seen from across the lake in St James's Park. In exergue, rose, thistle, shamrock and daffodil (the emblems of England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales); SPINK LONDON (below exergual line). 57 mm. BHM 4458; Eimer 2086a.

Photos of the cases of issue mentioned in the descriptions:












The last case, for the 1911 Prince of Wales medal, showing what it looks like open, with the medal inside:



Please post any British "royal"-type medals you may have, whether they're official or unofficial.

 

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WoW @DonnaML what a gawjeus collection!!! I imagine your original collection was even more dazzling than these. I'm in awe

 

Wow @DonnaML !
I have a few British medals. Nothing like what you have though.

Bronze medal for the coronation of King Edward VII. Dated 26 June, although KEVII had appendix surgery 2 days before, on the 24th, and his coronation was delated until August.


Sterling silver coronation medal of King George VI.

 

...ah, so Donna has an other worldly coin collection also....very nice..

 

I have a few scanned

 

Thank you! Anyone who reads the Ancient Coins forum knows that I've largely focused on building a collection of ancient coins for the last four or five years. Trying to reconstitute the portion of my old collection of British historical medals that I sold, particularly coronation and jubilee medals, has been kind of a side project. I'm still missing James I, Charles I, James II, his wife Mary of Modena, and George III's wife Queen Charlotte, plus the ones I now have only in bronze I used to have in silver, with one (the small Queen Victoria diamond jubilee medal) in gold. I also had a large collection of Mudie Napoleonic Wars medals, and a lot of the large "City of London" medals. To the extent I've been successful in rebuilding this part of my old collection, I'm lucky that prices are still relatively low when compared to the prices of British coins of the same monarchs. The reason I turned to collecting ancient coins in the first place was that I knew I'd never be able to recreate anything like my old collection of English gold coins back to James I, and silver crowns back to Charles II -- most of which now go for thousands of dollars each, instead of the hundreds of dollars they cost me back in the 1980s and early 1990s. There isn't 1/10th of the interest in British historical medals that there is in British coins, despite the fact that mintages of the official coronation medals, up through Victoria's coronation, were a tiny fraction of the coin mintages.

 

Nice! the George VI medal is the same one I have. I keep forgetting that you collect things beyond just ancient coins!

 

I love the coronation medals. I've tried getting more but some of them go for way out of my means. The 2 that I have, I managed to buy for less than $10 a piece.

 

I collect anything and everything that is interesting

 

Also: as I understand it, most of the unofficial medals for Edward VII's coronation have the original June date, because the private manufacturers were all trying to get a jump on the competition. The official coronation medal with the original June date, which had already been prepared with some struck, was withdrawn and never actually issued. It was redone with the August date, and that's the date that all the ones you see have on them. However, a handful of the originals supposedly survived. I've never seen one, but if any of them have ever been on the market, they must be extremely valuable.

 

I lurk in the Ancients Forum, I live vicariously through all y'alls ancients as I don't have any at this point and you certainly have a lovely collection there with sooooo much history.

Thank you for sharing your 'other' interests with us.

 

Such a nice selection of British coronation medals, Donna.

Medals are rarely seen over here in the West Coast, so I only picked up a few. I don't have photo for most of them, except these two British official coronation.

 

That's an impressive selection of coronation and jubilee medals @DonnaML! The original coin cases are one-of-a-kind.

Thank you so much for sharing
Needless to say, don't have anything to share

 

1977 Smithsonian Jubilee Medal High Relief. Designed & engraved by Arnold Machin. IMO the very best of the QE II portraits:

 

Two more "royal event" medals I wrote up, the second one official. The first, at 87 mm., is the largest medal I have.

Great Britain, Victoria, Unofficial Large AE Coronation Medal, 1838, by Benedetto Pistrucci (same portrait used on official coronation medal), for Rundell, Bridge & Co. Obv. Bust left, wearing plain diadem, with hair tied straight back, ALEXANDRINA VICTORIA, signed below as 'Benedetto Pistrucci Chief Medallist Royal Mint' / Rev. Legend and date in 5 lines, DA FACILEM CURSUM ATQUE ADNUE COEPTIS 1838. (Legend is version of invocation at beginning of Vergil’s first Georgic, i.e., “da facilem cursum atque audacibus adnue coeptis” [meaning “Grant [me] an easy journey and nod in approval of the bold things begun [by me],” but omitting “audacibus”/bold]; as set forth on this coin, the legend has been translated as “Give an easy passage and support our undertakings.”) 87 mm., 328 g. Eimer 1309 & Pl. 144; BHM 1802; Whittlestone & Ewing 90 (obv. ill. at p. 18; obv. is also the cover illustration) [Whittlestone, Andrew & Michael Ewing, Royal Commemorative Medals 1837-1977, Vol. 1, Queen Victoria 1837-1901 (2008)]. )] Purchased from Bonham’s, Knightsbridge, London, UK, Auction Sale No. 28052, 09.09.1999, Lot 106. [See post on next page for new footnote added to this description.]



Great Britain, AR Official Medal for Investiture of Prince of Wales [Prince Charles] 1969, by Michael Rizello, in red leather case of issue. Obv. Bust right, draped, ARWISGIAD CHARLES TYWYSOG CYMRU [Investiture of Charles Prince of Wales] around, CAERNARFON 1969 below / Rev. The Welsh Dragon, left, Y DDRAIG GOCH DDYRY CYCHWYN. 57 mm. Eimer 2116 & Pl. 235.

 

It is interesting that an unofficial medal could copy and use the same portrait (and high relief) from an official medal.

 

Yes, one would think that the design belonged to the Royal Mint, not to Pistrucci personally. It's also interesting that the manufacturer could tout Pistrucci's connection with the Mint on the medal, albeit in ultra-tiny lettering.

 

Another:

England 1625, Marriage of Charles I to Henrietta Maria (unofficial). Obv. Busts face to face; above, celestial rays. He, head bare, wears ruff, doublet buttoned, and George of the Garter suspended to riband; she, hair jewelled, wears earrings, necklace, dress, and stiff ruff, CH. MAG. ET. HEN. MA. BRIT. REX. ET. REG [Charles the Great, and Henrietta Maria, King and Queen of Britain] / Rev. Cupid walking, right, scattering roses and lilies, above, celestial rays, FVNDIT. AMOR. LILIA. MIXTA. ROSIS [Love pours out lilies mixed with roses (alluding to the union of the lilies of France with the roses of England)]; in exergue: 1625. AR 24 mm. Medallic Illustrations of the History of Great Britain and Ireland, Vol. I p. 238 No. 1 (1885, reprinted 1969); Eimer 105A.*



*This “medalet” is described in the earliest book that I know of devoted to the subject of English coronation and other “royal” medals -- certainly the earliest such book I own! See William Till, Descriptive Particulars of English Coronation Medals, from the Inauguration of King Edward the Sixth to our Present Sovereign, the Queen Victoria (London 1838), at pp. 14-15: “HENRIETTA MARIA, queen consort of Charles the First, was never crowned; her profession of the Catholic faith excluded her from that honour, although among the Harleian manuscripts, a prospective account is given of such an event, presuming it would take place; but we meet with what is termed a nuptial medal, or medalet, having her portrait and that of the sovereign opposite to each other, with their names and titles. On the reverse, Cupid is strewing flowers; the legend, FVNDIT AMOR LILIA MIXTA ROSIS – Love pours forth Lilies mixed with Roses; allusive to the union of the rose of England and the fleur-de-lis of France, in the persons of Charles and Henrietta Maria, daughter of Henry the Fourth. These pieces are very common; there are also numerous small oval medals of this princess, bearing her portrait, with that of her husband.”

Till was a prominent dealer in coins and medals, with his store located at 17, Great Russell Street, Covent Garden, London. The back of the book has several interesting pages of advertising material listing his available stock of both, with a price list.

 

I will limit this to some of my favorites. I have a thing for them as well.




BRITISH HISTORICAL MEDAL - 1804 BHM-567 BRONZE
Bombay Settlement
Victory over the French


Is his head too big for his body??? The reverse was the selling point to me.

1801 Great Britian, British Army Arrives In Egypt
Obverse: Uniformed bust facing slightly left
Reverse: Horse right before the Great Pyramids

Size: 41 mm



Bombardment of Algiers, copper medal, 1816, by Thomas Wyon Jr. and [reverse], Thomas Wyon Sr., for Rundell, Bridge and Rundell, laureate bust of the Prince l., wearing uniform and medals, rev. panoramic view of the action with ships firing and the city beyond, ALGIERS BOMBARDED ... CHRISTIAN SLAVERY EXTINGUISHED

Diameter: 50.34mm
Weight: 67.1 g



George IV, Plymouth Dockyard renamed Devonport, 1824, Copper Medal, by R Ellis and J Ramsey,
Obverse: Neptune stands in sea chariot (with a central medallic bust of the King), pointing towards the dockyard and ships behind him, Fame with trumpet flies abov
Reverse: Dedication inscription in twelve lines

White Metal

Diameter: 54.8mm
Weight: 59.6g

(BHM 1244; Eimer 1175)



1845, British Historical Medal, BHM-2207, Eimer 1399, Bronze, 58mm, Joshua Reynolds / Art Union of London. NGC Slabbed & Certified MS-64 Brown in oversize holder. NGC Census shows this example to be the highest graded.


Obverse: Bust of Sir Joshua Reynolds left, palette and brushes below, “ REYNOLDS “ behind. “ STOTHARD ” on truncation of bust.
Reverse: Mythological view of the infant Hercules strangling two snakes at center, “ ART UNION OF LONDON “ above, “ 1845 “ below. “ STOTHARD F. “ at rim, 7:00.

 

You like medals in the 1820 James Mudie series of medals of British Victories in the Napoleonic Wars, I see! Very nice. Here are the handful that I still have, although I sold most years ago. (I once had more than 30 of the 40, although only one in silver, which I still have -- see below.) For most of them, I've only bothered photographing the reverses, since the obverses are generally uninteresting.

Mudie 7, Defense of Acre:

Great Britain, Siege of Acre, 1799 (Struck 1820). Obv. Bust l., uniformed, ADMIRAL SIR S. SMITH/ Rev. British Lion, within a rocky pass, protects Syrian camel from menacing French tiger. In exergue: ACRE DEFENDED. BUONAPARTE REPULSED SYRIA SAVED. XX MAY MDCCLXXXXIX. AE 41 mm. By G. Mills/ N.G.A. Brenet. Mudie 7, Eimer 906, BHM 476.



Mudie 8, Arrival of English Army in Egypt:

Great Britain, Arrival of English Army in Egypt, 1801 (Struck 1820). Obv. Bust facing, uniformed, LIEUT: GENL.: SIR R: ABERCROMBY. Rev. Horse standing, r.; beyond, three pyramids. ARRIVAL OF THE ENGLISH ARMY IN EGYPT. In exergue: 8 March 1801. AE 41 mm. By T. Webb. Mudie 8, Eimer 929, BHM 504.



Mudie 9, Egypt Delivered:

Great Britain, Egypt Delivered, 1801 (Struck 1820). Obv. Bust three-quarters l., uniformed. MAJOR GEN. LORD HUTCHINSON. Rev. Exchanging a treaty, Hutchinson facing the Bey of Egypt, who holds the reins of a rearing horse; a pyramid beyond. EGYPT DELIVERED. In exergue: SEPT 11 MDCCCI. AE 41 mm. By T. Webb/A. Dupre. Mudie 9, Eimer 934, BHM 509.



Mudie 32, Napoleon's Flight from Elba / Congress of Vienna:

Great Britain, Napoleon's Flight from Elba/Congress of Vienna, 1815 (struck 1820). Obv. French eagle with thunderbolt (symbolizing Napoleon) approaches the French coast, Isle of Elba in background, to left TEMPLUM. JANI (Temple of Janus), with four-sided Janus on corner of roof, its doors lying broken (symbolizing the breaking of peace). In exergue: XXVI. FEBRUARY MDCCCXV. / Rev. Mercury, displaying a scroll inscribed TO ARMS, flying over globe carrying the news of Napoleon's flight, DECLARATION OF THE CONGRESS OF VIENNA. In exergue: XIII MARCH. By N.G.A. Brenet/ A.J. Depaulis. AE 41 mm., 41.8 g. Mudie 32, Eimer 1064, BHM 869, Bramsen 1597.



Mudie 37, Surrender of Napoleon to HMS Bellerephon (my only Mudie medal in silver):

Great Britain, Surrender of Napoleon, 1815 (struck 1820). Obv. Bust of Napoleon right, uniformed; NAPOLEON BONAPARTE; signature below / Rev. British man of war Bellerophon, in full sail, with Imperial Eagle on flag staff; Napoleon stands on quarterdeck with right hand inside coat; another ship beyond; SURRENDERED TO H.B.M.S. BELLEROPHON CAPT. MAITLAND. Exergue: XV JULY. MDCCCXV; signatures below. By T. Webb/N.G.A Brenet. AR 41 mm., 38.8 g. Eimer 1078, Mudie 37, BHM 884, Bramsen 1691. Purchased at Spink Auction 136, Oct. 7, 1999, Lot 992.





Mudie 39, Admiral Lord Exmouth / Bombardment of Algiers by British Fleet, Aug. 1816 (after the end of the Napoleonic Wars and concerning the attack on Barbary to free European prisoners, but so be it!) The reverse shows Neptune (= the British as rulers of the sea) subduing a sea monster, namely a hippocamp (= Barbary) with his trident.