Medallions Commemorating Lord Vice Admiral Horatio Nelson and/or the Battle of Trafalgar

[TracA]

Something a little different for me: my small collection (just five so far) of medallions commemorating Lord Vice Admiral Horatio Nelson and/or the Battle of Trafalgar.

 

First up: a Centenary of the Battle of Trafalgar Medallion.

 

Silver medal; Weight 11.628g; Maximum diameter 31.8mm; Die axis 0 degrees; Date: 1905; Obverse inscription: HORATIO VISCOUNT NELSON . K · B · DUKE OF BRONTE . &, uniformed bust of Admiral Lord Nelson left; Reverse inscription: ENGLAND EXPECTS EVERY MAN WILL DO HIS DUTY, CENTENARY / OF THE / BATTLE OF TRAFALGAR / 1905 in four lines above, view of the naval battle, TRAFALGAR / OCT.21.1805 in two lines in exergue; References: Hardy 110, Brown BHM 3923. From the J. Eric Engstrom Collection. Struck by Spink & Sons, after Küchler.

Per Royal Museums of Greenwich Website: “Copied from M. Boulton's medal.” See https://www.rmg.co.uk/collections/objects/rmgc-object-40438.

 

Write-up and photograph courtesy of Forum Ancient Coins.

 

 

Edited July 4 by TracA
Word addition

[TracA]

Next up: a Medal Commemorating The Trafalgar Centenary and St. George’s Society and Sons of England, of Ottawa Canada.

 

Copper/Bronze medal; Weight 15g; Diameter 30mm; Die axis 0 degrees; Date: 1905; Obverse inscription: clockwise from approx. 9h to 3h “ENGLAND EXPECTS THAT EVERY MAN WILL DO HIS DUTY”, counterclockwise from approx. 8h to 4h “THANK GOD I HAVE DONE MY DUTY”, in exergue: VICTORY・TRAFALGAR, below that OCT. 21. 1805; starboard broadside view of a man of war (HMS Victory?); Reverse inscription: clockwise from approx. 7h to 5h PRESENTED BY THE ST. GEORGE'S SOCIETY AND SONS OF ENGLAND, in a semicircle slightly off center from the “p” to the “d” of OTTAWA, mark under Ottawa is ?, in the field CENTENARY OF BATTLE - OF - TRAFALGAR OCT. 21ST 1905. References: Hardy 131. The medal is pierced for wearing on a chain.

 

See Royal Museums Greenwich at https://www.rmg.co.uk/collections/objects/rmgc-object-38965.

 

 

Edited July 5 by TracA
Word addition

[TracA]

My third medal: a British and Foreign Sailors Society Medal Commemorating the Trafalgar Centenary.

 

Copper medal; Weight 12.470g; Diameter 28.8mm; Die axis 0 degrees; Date: 1905; Obverse inscription: PRESENTED BY BRITISH & FOREIGN SAILORS SOCIETY (top clockwise) CONTAINING VICTORY COPPER FROM LORDS OF THE ADMIRALTY (bottom counter clockwise), DEATH OF NELSON OCT 21 1809 CENTENARY MEMENTO OCT 21 1905 in banner across, E.R. VII below, Lord Vice Admiral Nelson standing left; Reverse inscription: "ENGLAND EXPECTS THAT EV  ERY MAN WILL DO HIS DUTY" (top clockwise) "THANK GOD I HAVE DONE MY DUTY" (bottom counter clockwise), VICTORY.TRAFALGAR / OCT. 21 1805 in two lines below, flagship HMS Victory right. References: Brown BHM 3924, Hardy 112. From the J. Eric Engstrom Collection.

 

I note that on the top of the reverse at 12h between “EV” and “ERY” is a 1 mm diameter circle with a raised outline. Could this be a marker for a pierce point should the owner want to suspend the medal from a chain?

 

See Royal Museums Greenwich at https://www.rmg.co.uk/collections/objects/rmgc-object-38963.

 

Write-up and photograph courtesy of Forum Ancient Coins.

 

 

[TracA]

My fourth: a Medal Commemorating the Wreck of HMS 'Foudroyant', 1897.

 

Copper medal; Weight 28.58g; Diameter 38.1mm; Die axis 0 degrees; Date and mint: after 1897, Birmingham mint; Obverse inscription: ·:· HORATIO. VISCOUNT NELSON ·:·, BORN, 29th SEPTEMBER, 1758/DIED, 21st OCTOBER, 1805 / in two lines below, REG: No 311490 in small lettering along the bottom, uniformed bust facing slightly left, wearing tricorne decorated with diamond aigrette; Reverse inscription: "FOUDROYANT," LORD NELSON'S FLAGSHIP., COMMENCED BUILDING 1789 / LAUNCHED AT PLYMOUTH APRIL 1798 / WRECKED AT BLACK POOL / JUNE 16TH, 1897 in five lines below, MEDAL STRUCK FROM COPPER OF VESSEL AFTER BREAKING UP in small lettering along the bottom, the HMS Foudroyant under sail left. References: Brown BHM 3613, Eimer 1813, Hardy 107. From the J. Eric Engstrom Collection. At the top is an attached pendant loop. 

 

Write-up and photograph courtesy of Forum Ancient Coins.

 

Per Wikipedia, the Foudroyant was Lord Nelson’s flagship from June 6, 1799 until the end of June 1800.

 

 

[TracA]

My fifth and final "medal": a Shipwrecked Fishermen and Mariners Royal Benevolent Society Membership Token.

 

Tin medal; Weight 8.7g; Diameter 32mm; Die axis 0 degrees; Date: 1905; Obverse inscription: in left field: No ("o" superscript and underscored) circular and clockwise ENGLAND EXPECTS EVERY MAN WILL DO HIS DUTY inscribed on a belt with the fastened buckle at 6 1/2h, uniformed bust of Lord Vice Admiral Nelson left; Reverse inscription: clockwise SHIPWRECKED MARINERS SOCIETY,・1861・at 6h between the start and end of the legend, port-quarter view of a three-masted ship partially dismasted driving on the rocks in a heavy sea. Creator: Joseph Davis. References: Hardy 94. Slot pierced for suspension.

 

Photo Credits courtesy of 56salesman.

 

Per Royal Museums Greenwich this is a membership token issued annually as a receipt for a subscription. I assume that the No ("o" superscript and underscored) in the left field was for inscribing one’s membership number, but I have no evidence of that. The date at 6h is the date of issue.

 

See Royal Museums Greenwich at https://www.rmg.co.uk/collections/objects/rmgc-object-40415.

 

 

[No one]

Dear TracA,

 

Thanks you for presenting those medallions. They are very interesting and informative.

 

Yours sincerely,

No one

[TracA]

Thank you, No One. They were an offshoot from my coin collection, and I figured that they would fit in the thread on GMIC given their military connection.

 

All the best,

 

Tracy