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Medals & Decorations

The Ashmolean Museum has a very good collection of British historical medals, dating from the Tudor period to the present day, with particularly high concentrations for the 18th and 19th centuries. Its continental and world holdings are very diverse, with some particularly significant medals of the Italian Renaissance; Germany and the Low Countries in the Renaissance and Baroque age; the papacy; etc. The decorations are mostly British and date from the mid-19th to the mid-20th century.

American commemorative token (HCR95733)

Period

Modern

Person

William Shakespeare

Dating

1982

Obverse

SHAKESPEARE THE BARD / LOOK IN THY / GLASS, AND / [TE]LL THE / F[ACE THOU] / V[IEWEST], portrait of William Shakespeare, facing; to his left, scroll and quill, which partially obscures the inscription, which is a quotation taken from his Third Sonnet

Reverse

THE MYSTICK KREWE OF PERSEUS / FOUNDED 1970 / SLIDELL, LOUISIANA, Perseus, with cap of invisibility and shield, holding the head of Medusa

American commemorative token (HCR95764)

Period

Modern

Person

William Shakespeare

Dating

1982

Obverse

Reverse

THE MYSTICK KREWE OF PERSEUS / FOUNDED 1970 / SLIDELL, LOUISIANA, Perseus, with cap of invisibility and shield, holding the head of Medusa

French commemorative medal (HCR98668)

Period

Modern

Person

Sir Winston Churchill, Numismatique Française

Mint

Paris (at Pessac) (Modern)

Dating

1982

Obverse

G.B. 1982 / R.B. / CHURCHILL, bust of Sir Winston Churchill, 3/4 right

Reverse

LEADERS POLITIQUES DANS LE MONDE : LEADERS POLITICI NEL MONDO : ПОЛИТИЧЕСКИЕ ЛИДЕРЫ В МИРЕ : LEADERS POLITICOS EN EL MUNDO : POLITISCHE LEADERS IN DER WELT / POLITICAL LEADERS IN THE WORLD, globe surmounted by the flags of the world; oak branches on the left, olive branches on the right; guarantee mark followed by the number 1

British commemorative medal (HCR95707)

Period

Modern

Person

William Shakespeare

Dating

1983

Obverse

WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE / 1564 / 1616, bust of William Shakespeare, facing

Reverse

ANNE HATHAWAY'S COTTAGE, landscape of Anne Hathaway's Cottage

Modern commemorative medal (HCR95713)

Period

Modern

Person

William Shakespeare

Dating

1983

Obverse

SHAKESPEARE'S BIRTHPLACE / STRATFORD-UPON-AVON, landscape of Shakespeare's house and birthplace

Reverse

STRATFORD-UPON-AVON / ANNE HATHAWAY'S COTTAGE, landscape of Anne Hathaway's Cottage

British commemorative medal (HCR95765)

Period

Modern

Person

William Shakespeare

Dating

1983

Obverse

WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE / 1564 / 1616, bust of William Shakespeare, facing

Reverse

ANNE HATHAWAY'S COTTAGE, landscape of Anne Hathaway's Cottage

British commemorative medal (HCR95766)

Period

Modern

Person

William Shakespeare

Dating

1983

Obverse

WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE / 1564 / 1616, bust of William Shakespeare, facing

Reverse

ANNE HATHAWAY'S COTTAGE, landscape of Anne Hathaway's Cottage

Canadian dollar token (HCR95714)

Period

Modern

Person

William Shakespeare

Denom.

Dollar

Dating

1984

Obverse

* CITY OF STRATFORD INDUSTRY AND ARTS, crest of the city of Stratford (Canada), with maple leaf, swan, and cogs; in the inscription, masks of tragicomedy; all surrounded by a rim of beads

Reverse

1564- / 1616 / SHAKESPEARE / VALUE $1.⁰⁰ IN STRATFORD, APRIL 1,- SEPTEMBER 30, 1984, bust of William Shakespeare, ¾ facing; surrounded by a rim of beads

Canadian dollar token (HCR95715)

Period

Modern

Person

William Shakespeare

Denom.

Dollar

Dating

1984

Obverse

* CITY OF STRATFORD INDUSTRY AND ARTS, crest of the city of Stratford (Canada), with maple leaf, swan, and cogs; in the inscription, masks of tragicomedy; all surrounded by a rim of beads

Reverse

1564- / 1616 / SHAKESPEARE / VALUE $1.⁰⁰ IN STRATFORD, APRIL 1,- SEPTEMBER 30, 1984, bust of William Shakespeare, ¾ facing; surrounded by a rim of beads

French commemorative medal - 40th anniversary of the D-Day landings (HCR96907)

Period

Modern

Person

Sir Winston Churchill

Mint

Paris (at Pessac) (Modern)

Dating

1984

Obverse

R.B. / CHURCHILL, bust of Sir Winston Churchill, 3/4 right

Reverse

· 1 ∗ 40ᴱ ANNIVERSAIRE DU · DEBARQUEMENT / 1944 1984, cross of Lorraine and V in front of the French flag; guarantee mark followed by the number 1

British commemorative medallion (HCR98697)

Period

Modern

Person

Sir Winston Churchill

Mint

Greenwich (Medallions) Ltd. ("The Tower Mint") (Modern)

Dating

1984-2005

Obverse

WINSTON CHURCHILL, Sir Winston Churchill, in bow tie, facing

Reverse

CABINET WAR ROOMS · LONDON, imaginary view of London skyline at war; St Paul's Cathedral and Elizabeth Tower in background, among sandbags and explosion

British commemorative medallion (HCR98714)

Period

Modern

Person

Sir Winston Churchill

Mint

Greenwich (Medallions) Ltd. ("The Tower Mint") (Modern)

Dating

1984-2005

Obverse

WINSTON CHURCHILL, Sir Winston Churchill, in bow tie, facing

Reverse

CABINET WAR ROOMS · LONDON, imaginary view of London skyline at war; St Paul's Cathedral and Elizabeth Tower in background, among sandbags and explosion

British commemorative medallion (HCR98722)

Period

Modern

Person

Sir Winston Churchill

Mint

Greenwich (Medallions) Ltd. ("The Tower Mint") (Modern)

Dating

1984-2005

Obverse

WINSTON CHURCHILL, Sir Winston Churchill, in bow tie, facing

Reverse

CABINET WAR ROOMS · LONDON, imaginary view of London skyline at war; St Paul's Cathedral and Elizabeth Tower in background, among sandbags and explosion

British commemorative medallion (HCR98915)

Period

Modern

Person

Sir Winston Churchill

Mint

Greenwich (Medallions) Ltd. ("The Tower Mint") (Modern)

Dating

1984-2005

Obverse

WINSTON CHURCHILL, Sir Winston Churchill, in bow tie, facing

Reverse

CABINET WAR ROOMS · LONDON, imaginary view of London skyline at war; St Paul's Cathedral and Elizabeth Tower in background, among sandbags and explosion

British commemorative medallion (HCR98916)

Period

Modern

Person

Sir Winston Churchill

Mint

Greenwich (Medallions) Ltd. ("The Tower Mint") (Modern)

Dating

1984-2005

Obverse

WINSTON CHURCHILL, Sir Winston Churchill, in bow tie, facing

Reverse

CABINET WAR ROOMS · LONDON, imaginary view of London skyline at war; St Paul's Cathedral and Elizabeth Tower in background, among sandbags and explosion

British commemorative medal - 40th anniversary of VE Day (HCR98707)

Period

Modern

Person

Sir Winston Churchill

Mint

Greenwich (Medallions) Ltd. ("The Tower Mint") (Modern)

Dating

1985

Obverse

WINSTON CHURCHILL, bust of Sir Winston Churchill, in bowtie, 3/4 left

Reverse

8 MAY 1945 · 40ᵗʰ ANNIVERSARY · / 1945-1985 / VE / DAY, inverted triangle made up of pyramids and a cartouche in the centre with inscription

Modern commemorative medal - 20th anniversary of the death of Sir Winston Churchill (HCR98953)

Period

Modern

Person

Sir Winston Churchill

Dating

1985

Obverse

WINSTON SPENCER CHURCHILL ☆ TWENTIETH ANNIVERSARY ☆ / 1965 1985, bust of Sir Winston Churchill, with bowtie, 3/4 facing

Reverse

"BLOOD, SWEAT, TOIL, AND TEARS" ☆ ☆ 1965-1985 ☆ ☆, two eagles, upright and upside-down, sitting among branches and arrows; quotation from one of Churchill's speeches

Modern commemorative medal - 20th anniversary of the death of Sir Winston Churchill (HCR98954)

Period

Modern

Person

Sir Winston Churchill

Dating

1985

Obverse

WINSTON SPENCER CHURCHILL ☆ TWENTIETH ANNIVERSARY ☆ / 1965 1985, bust of Sir Winston Churchill, with bowtie, 3/4 facing

Reverse

"BLOOD, SWEAT, TOIL, AND TEARS" ☆ ☆ 1965-1985 ☆ ☆, two eagles, upright and upside-down, sitting among branches and arrows; quotation from one of Churchill's speeches

Modern commemorative medal - 20th anniversary of the death of Sir Winston Churchill (HCR98955)

Period

Modern

Person

Sir Winston Churchill

Dating

1985

Obverse

WINSTON SPENCER CHURCHILL ☆ TWENTIETH ANNIVERSARY ☆ / 1965 1985, bust of Sir Winston Churchill, with bowtie, 3/4 facing

Reverse

"BLOOD, SWEAT, TOIL, AND TEARS" ☆ ☆ 1965-1985 ☆ ☆, two eagles, upright and upside-down, sitting among branches and arrows; quotation from one of Churchill's speeches

Modern commemorative medal - 20th anniversary of the death of Sir Winston Churchill (HCR98956)

Period

Modern

Person

Sir Winston Churchill

Dating

1985

Obverse

WINSTON SPENCER CHURCHILL ☆ TWENTIETH ANNIVERSARY ☆ / 1965 1985, bust of Sir Winston Churchill, with bowtie, 3/4 facing

Reverse

"BLOOD, SWEAT, TOIL, AND TEARS" ☆ ☆ 1965-1985 ☆ ☆, two eagles, upright and upside-down, sitting among branches and arrows; quotation from one of Churchill's speeches