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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.

British educational award medal - Eton College Strafford Medal (HCR95576)

Period

Modern

Person

William Shakespeare, Leonard Charles Wyon

Dating

1881

Obverse

HOW NOBLE IN REASON! HOW INFINITE IN FACULTY!, bust of William Shakespeare, ¾ left, earringed, like the Chandos portrait; quotation adapted from "Hamlet"

Reverse

FOR THE ENCOURAGEMENT OF THE STUDY OF SHAKESPEARE AT ETON COLLEGE / FOUNDED BY / THE RIGHT HONᴮᴸᴱ / GEORGE STEVENS BYNG / EARL OF STRAFFORD / MDCCCLXXXI, inscription surrounded by stars

British educational award medal - Eton College Strafford Medal (HCR95577)

Period

Modern

Person

William Shakespeare, Leonard Charles Wyon

Dating

1881

Obverse

HOW NOBLE IN REASON! HOW INFINITE IN FACULTY!, bust of William Shakespeare, ¾ left, earringed, like the Chandos portrait; quotation adapted from "Hamlet"

Reverse

FOR THE ENCOURAGEMENT OF THE STUDY OF SHAKESPEARE AT ETON COLLEGE / FOUNDED BY / THE RIGHT HONᴮᴸᴱ / GEORGE STEVENS BYNG / EARL OF STRAFFORD / MDCCCLXXXI, inscription surrounded by stars

British educational award medal - Eton College Strafford Medal (HCR95791)

Period

Modern

Person

William Shakespeare, Leonard Charles Wyon

Dating

1881

Obverse

HOW NOBLE IN REASON! HOW INFINITE IN FACULTY!, bust of William Shakespeare, ¾ left, earringed, like the Chandos portrait; quotation adapted from "Hamlet"

Reverse

FOR THE ENCOURAGEMENT OF THE STUDY OF SHAKESPEARE AT ETON COLLEGE / FOUNDED BY / THE RIGHT HONᴮᴸᴱ / GEORGE STEVENS BYNG / EARL OF STRAFFORD / MDCCCLXXXI, inscription surrounded by stars

British educational award medal - Eton College Strafford Medal (HCR102411)

Period

Modern

Person

William Shakespeare, Leonard Charles Wyon

Dating

1881

Obverse

HOW NOBLE IN REASON! HOW INFINITE IN FACULTY!, bust of William Shakespeare, ¾ left, earringed, like the Chandos portrait; quotation adapted from "Hamlet"

Reverse

FOR THE ENCOURAGEMENT OF THE STUDY OF SHAKESPEARE AT ETON COLLEGE / FOUNDED BY / THE RIGHT HONᴮᴸᴱ / GEORGE STEVENS BYNG / EARL OF STRAFFORD / MDCCCLXXXI, inscription surrounded by stars

British commemorative medal - opening of the new City of London School (HCR160151)

Period

Modern

Person

J.S. & A.B. Wyon, Edward VII, Princess Alexandra

Mint

Royal Mint (Modern)

Dating

1882

Obverse

ALBERT EDWARD ALEXANDRA / J.S. & A.B. WYON, jugate bare heads of the Prince of Wales and Princess Alexandra right

Reverse

CITY OF LONDON SCHOOL NEW BUILDINGS OPENED / BY HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS / THE PRINCE OF WALES / 12 DEC · 1882 / J. S. & A. B. WYON, façade of the (old) school building on Victoria Embankment (presently the premises of J. P. Morgan); arms of the Prince of Wales to left, arms of the City of London to right

British historical medal (HCR5571)

Period

Modern

Person

A. Wyon

Dating

1882

Obverse

draped bust of Charles Darwin, bare head left

Reverse

MDCCCIX / CAROLVS / DARWIN / MDCCCLXXXII, inscription within closed wreath

British election medal (HCR98818)

Period

Modern

Person

W. O. Lewis, Lord Randolph Churchill

Dating

1884-1885

Obverse

LORD RANDOLPH CHURCHILL / M.P. STATESMAN & ORATOR / W.O.LEWIS, bust of Lord Randolph Churchill, wearing coat, left

Reverse

COL. FRED BURNABY SOLDIER & PATRIOT / W.O.LEWIS, bust of Colonel Fred Burnaby, wearing coat, right

British historical medal (HCR162305)

Period

Modern

Person

J.S. & A.B. Wyon

Dating

1884

Obverse

ΤΟ ΚΑΘΑΡΟΝ ΥΔΩΡ-Η ΤΟΥ ΘΕΟΥ ΔΩΡΕΑ / J.S. & A. B. WYON, veiled woman in classicising dress, left, holding amphora in outstretched palm

Reverse

THE "HERE AND THERE" TOTAL ABSTINENCE ASSOCIATION · / FOR / FIVE YEARS / FAITHFUL / ADHERENCE, inscription

British historical medal (HCR162064)

Period

Modern

Dating

c. 1891

Obverse

UNDER THE INVOCATION OF THE HOLY GHOST + AND THE PROTECTION OF THE HOLY ANGELS + / QUIS UT DEUS, dove, in central roundel; either side, nimbate angels, one with spear and shield

British commemorative medal (HCR95771)

Period

Modern

Person

William Shakespeare

Dating

c. 1887

Obverse

WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE / BORN APRIL 23ᴿᴰ 1574 / DIED APᴸ 23ᴿᴰ 1616, draped bust of William Shakespeare facing, within a fluted rim

Reverse

THE AMERICAN FOUNTAIN STRATFORD ON AVON, view of the American Fountain at Stratford-upon-Avon

British commemorative medal - 50th Anniversary of the Numismatic Society of London (HCR6934)

Period

Modern

Person

Pinches, Lydia Gay

Dating

1887

British commemorative medal - 50th Anniversary of the Numismatic Society of London (HCR6935)

Period

Modern

Person

Pinches, Lydia Gay

Dating

1887

Modern memorial medal (HCR154771)

Period

Modern

Person

William Shakespeare

Dating

c. 1900

Obverse

1564 WILLIAM / SHAKESPEARE 1616, bust of William Shakespeare, left, flanked by the years of his birth and death

Reverse

Stratford-on-Avon / Birth Place, hand-coloured enamel landscape of Shakespeare's house and birthplace

British laudatory medal - Henry Irving (HCR162046)

Period

Modern

Dating

1891

Obverse

draped bare head of Henry Irving, left

Reverse

HENRY IRVING / 1891 / ·, inscription

British historical medal - The National Canine Defence League: Argus Medal (HCR5609)

Period

Modern

Person

Frank Bowcher, Messrs Spink & Son Ltd.

Dating

1891

Obverse

NATIONAL CANINE DEFENCE LEAGUE FOUNDED 1891 / SPINK, heads of three dogs, left

Reverse

SOFT PITY / TOUCHED / THE MIGHTY / MASTERS SOUL / ULYSSES AND ARGUS, male figure standing beside rocks, dog before, antique galley in background

British historical medal (HCR162050)

Period

Modern

Dating

1891

Obverse

+ PRESENTED + BY THE O . U . B . C / DOM INUS / ILLUM INATIO / M EA, crest of the Oxford University Boat Club

Reverse

OXFORD / UNIVERSITY / EIGHT OAR / TRIAL / RACE, inscription within wreath

British historical medal (HCR162051)

Period

Modern

Person

A. Wyon

Dating

1891

Obverse

BORN · 1815 + SAMUEL · CARTWRIGHT · F : R : C : S + DIED · 1891 / ALLAN WYON SC., 3/4 portrait of Samuel Cartwright

Reverse

FOUNDED / BY THE / ASSOCIATION / OF SURGEIONS / PRACTISING / DENTAL / SURGERY, inscription within wreath

British historical medal (HCR162052)

Period

Modern

Person

W. Mayer

Dating

1891

Obverse

DETECTIVE INSPECTOR R. J. CILD. CITY OF LONDON POLICE ∗ ∗ ∗, portrait of Inspector R. J. Child, almost left

Reverse

IN REMEMBRANCE ON MY RETIREMENT / AFTER 32 YEARS SERVICE / DOMINE DIRIGE NOS / RETIRED / 25. MARCH 1891, crest of the City of London Corporation

British historical medal (HCR162053)

Period

Modern

Person

Elkington

Dating

1891

Obverse

AGRICULTURAL ∗ EXHIBITION ∗ BELLE ∗ VUE ∗ MANCHESTER / ELKINGTON & Cₒ. MANCHESTER, bull in field, walking left

Reverse

ears of corn, farm machinery

British historical medal - foundation of the Derbyshire Infirmary (HCR162055)

Period

Modern

Person

Victoria, Bemrose

Dating

1891

Obverse

DERBYSHIRE INFIRMARY FOUNDATION STONE LAID BY H. M. QUEEN VICTORIA · MAY 21ₛₜ 1891 ·, crowned, veiled, draped bust of Queen Victoria, left

Reverse

A. SEALE HASLAM, ESQ. / MAYOR, shield comprising the seal of Derbyshire and the seal of the County borough of Derby on scrollwork above inscription; shield on laurel and palm branches below