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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.

Canadian commemorative medal - quatercentenary of the birth of William Shakespeare (HCR95755)

Period

Modern

Person

William Shakespeare, R.A. Fraser

Dating

1964

Obverse

1564 WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE 1964 400TH ANNIVERSARY, bust of William Shakespeare, right

Reverse

FESTIVAL THEATRE / STRATFORD CANADA, landscape of the festival theatre at Stratford, Canada

Canadian commemorative medal - quatercentenary of the birth of William Shakespeare (HCR95756)

Period

Modern

Person

William Shakespeare, R.A. Fraser

Dating

1964

Obverse

1564 WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE 1964 400TH ANNIVERSARY, bust of William Shakespeare, right

Reverse

FESTIVAL THEATRE / STRATFORD CANADA, landscape of the festival theatre at Stratford, Canada

German laudatory medal (HCR95759)

Period

Modern

Person

William Shakespeare, Homer, Goethe

Dating

1964

Obverse

* JOH. WOLFG.v.GOETHE * WILL. SHAKESPEARE * HOMER / q.JAHRH. VORCHR. / 1749-1832 / 1564-1616, three busts of Goethe (¾ right), Homer (facing, after his conventional antique depiction), and William Shakespeare (¾ left, after the Droeshout portrait, with the detail of the earring taken from the Chandos portrait), with inscription around and vital dates where known; artist's cipher (?) centred, near base

Reverse

DIE UNSTERBLICHEN DIESER WELT + / LUMEN / DEDERUNT / MENTI / 1000, central roundel flanked by laurel wreaths

Italian commemorative medal (HCR95782)

Period

Modern

Person

William Shakespeare, Costantino Affer

Dating

1964

Obverse

WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE · 1564 * 1616 · / AFFER, bust of William Shakespeare, ¾ facing

Reverse

AMLETO · "ESSERO O NON ESSERE" · / PROVA / 900, figure, facing, holding sword

British commemorative medal - quatercentenary of the birth of William Shakespeare (HCR95946)

Period

Modern

Person

William Shakespeare, Paul Vincze, Pinches

Dating

1964

Obverse

WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE · 400ᵀᴴ ANNIVERSARY · / P. VINCZE / © / THE SHAKESPEARE / BIRTHPLACE TRUST · 1964, bust of William Shakespeare, left

Reverse

WE SHALL NOT LOOK UPON HIS LIKE AGAIN / 1564—1964 / P. VINCZE, two figures kneeling; one male, with book and torch; the other female, with masks of tragicomedy

British commemorative medal - quatercentenary of the birth of William Shakespeare (HCR95947)

Period

Modern

Person

William Shakespeare, Paul Vincze, Pinches

Dating

1964

Obverse

WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE · 400ᵀᴴ ANNIVERSARY · / P. VINCZE / © / THE SHAKESPEARE / BIRTHPLACE TRUST · 1964, bust of William Shakespeare, left

Reverse

WE SHALL NOT LOOK UPON HIS LIKE AGAIN / 1564—1964 / P. VINCZE, two figures kneeling; one male, with book and torch; the other female, with masks of tragicomedy

British commemorative medal - quatercentenary of the birth of William Shakespeare (HCR95948)

Period

Modern

Person

William Shakespeare, Paul Vincze, Pinches

Dating

1964

Obverse

WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE · 400ᵀᴴ ANNIVERSARY · / P. VINCZE / © / THE SHAKESPEARE / BIRTHPLACE TRUST · 1964, bust of William Shakespeare, left

Reverse

WE SHALL NOT LOOK UPON HIS LIKE AGAIN / 1564—1964 / P. VINCZE, two figures kneeling; one male, with book and torch; the other female, with masks of tragicomedy

British commemorative medal - quatercentenary of the birth of William Shakespeare (HCR95952)

Period

Modern

Person

William Shakespeare, Paul Vincze, Pinches

Dating

1964

Obverse

WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE · 400ᵀᴴ ANNIVERSARY · / P. VINCZE / © / THE SHAKESPEARE / BIRTHPLACE TRUST · 1964, bust of William Shakespeare, left

Reverse

WE SHALL NOT LOOK UPON HIS LIKE AGAIN / 1564—1964 / P. VINCZE, two figures kneeling; one male, with book and torch; the other female, with masks of tragicomedy

Dutch commemorative medal - quatercentenary of the birth of William Shakespeare (HCR95957)

Period

Modern

Person

William Shakespeare, Professor Vincent Pieter Semeyn Esser

Dating

1964

Obverse

abstract bust of William Shakespeare, left, loosely after the Stratford memorial bust

Reverse

SHAKSPEARE / MDL / XIV / MCM / LXIV, inscription in centre, surrounded by raised rim

Dutch commemorative medal - Churchill Ninetieth Birthday Commemorative Medal (HCR96914)

Period

Modern

Person

Sir Winston Churchill, Willem Vis

Dating

1964

Obverse

·WINSTON LEONARD SPENCER·CHURCHILL 90th BIRTHDAY 30-11-1964 / wv, head of Sir Winston Churchill to right; fish monogram

Reverse

FORWARD, / UNFLINCH- / ING, UNSWER- / VING, INDOM- / ITABLE, TILL / THE WHO- / LE TASK / IS DONE / AND THE WHO- / LE WORLD IS / SAFE AND / CLEAN. / WINSTON CHURCHILL / WORLD BROADCAST / MAY 1945, Globe, flying dove with olive sprig

German commemorative medal - Churchill Ninetieth Birthday Commemorative Medal (HCR96915)

Period

Modern

Person

Sir Winston Churchill, Remo Cademartori

Mint

Deutsche Numismatik, Frankfurt-on-Main (Modern)

Dating

1964

Obverse

JEFES EN LA SEGUNDA GUERRA / CHIEFS IN THE SECOND WAR 1939 1945 / CHURCHILL / G. BRT. G.B. / R.B., head of Sir Winston Churchill facing, slightly to right

Reverse

CUSUS / UT MEMORIA / VIVAT MCMLXIV / Silber1000 fein ca13 g., inscriptional type in laurel wreath, date in small rectangular tablet

Austrian commemorative medal - Churchill Ninetieth Birthday Commemorative Medal (HCR96917)

Period

Modern

Person

Sir Winston Churchill, Christopher Ironside, Gesellschaft für Münzen und Medaillen, Vienna

Mint

Austrian Mint, Vienna (Modern)

Dating

1964

Obverse

SIR WINSTON CHURCHILL K.G. · O.M · 30 NOVEMBER 1874 · / IRONSIDE, head of Sir Winston Churchill, left; artist's signature

Reverse

· THIS WAS THEIR FINEST HOUR · / C·I· / MAC Ⓐ 900, rampant lion, left, holding a standard with Union flag pennant; artist's initials

Austrian commemorative medal - Churchill Ninetieth Birthday Commemorative Medal (HCR96954)

Period

Modern

Person

Sir Winston Churchill, Christopher Ironside, Gesellschaft für Münzen und Medaillen, Vienna

Mint

Austrian Mint, Vienna (Modern)

Dating

1964

Obverse

SIR WINSTON CHURCHILL K.G. · O.M · 30 NOVEMBER 1874 · / IRONSIDE, head of Sir Winston Churchill, left; artist's signature

Reverse

· THIS WAS THEIR FINEST HOUR · / ÉGEL A 18 ·750 / C·I· / MAC Ⓐ 900, rampant lion, left, holding a standard with Union flag pennant; stamps; artist's initials

Austrian commemorative medal - Churchill Ninetieth Birthday Commemorative Medal (HCR98660)

Period

Modern

Person

Sir Winston Churchill, Christopher Ironside, Gesellschaft für Münzen und Medaillen, Vienna

Mint

Austrian Mint, Vienna (Modern)

Dating

1964

Obverse

SIR WINSTON CHURCHILL K.G. · O.M · 30 NOVEMBER 1874 · / IRONSIDE, head of Sir Winston Churchill, left; artist's signature

Reverse

· THIS WAS THEIR FINEST HOUR · / C·I· / MAC Ⓐ 900, rampant lion, left, holding a standard with Union flag pennant; artist's initials

Dutch commemorative medal - Churchill Ninetieth Birthday Commemorative Medal (HCR98687)

Period

Modern

Person

Sir Winston Churchill, Willem Vis

Dating

1964

Obverse

·WINSTON LEONARD SPENCER·CHURCHILL 90th BIRTHDAY 30-11-1964 / wv, head of Sir Winston Churchill to right; fish monogram

Reverse

Indian commemorative medal - quatercentenary of the birth of William Shakespeare (HCR102435)

Period

Modern

Person

William Shakespeare

Dating

1964

Obverse

SHAKESPEARE'S / 4ᵀᴴ CENTENARY / 1564 1964 / CALCUTTA ART SOCIETY, draped bust of William Shakespeare, bare head facing, after the Droeshout portrait, within a "bamboo hut" and surrounded by flowers

Danish memorial medal - Churchill Memorial Medal (HCR95071)

Period

Modern

Person

Sir Winston Churchill, Harald Salomon, Nic. Outzon Schmidt

Dating

1965

Obverse

WINSTON CHURCHILL / HS, bust of Sir Winston Churchill in siren suit facing, slightly to right; artist's cypher

Reverse

☆ 30 · 11 · 1874 ✝ 24 · 1 · 1965, Churchill's right hand in "V for Victory" sign

Italian memorial plaque - Churchill Memorial Plaque (HCR95075)

Period

Modern

Person

Sir Winston Churchill, Bruno Galoppi

Dating

1965

Obverse

CHURCHILL / B. GALOPPI, head of Sir Winston Churchill facing, in oval incuse; face divided into two different sculptural styles; signature of the artist, alternating raised and incuse letters