medal
- Museum number
- BNK,EngM.273
- Description
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Pewter medal. (whole)
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Uniformed bust of Lord Nelson, three-quarter left. (obverse)
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Bellona standing on the prow of a ship hurling a thunderbolt. (reverse)
- Production date
- 1820 (1805)
- Dimensions
-
Diameter: 40.000 millimetres
- $Inscriptions
-
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- Curator's comments
- Brown 1980 states:
One of Mudie's National Medals (see Brown 1 p256.1057) issued in 1820. Examples of this medal are believed to have been struck in gold but no specimen has been met with. See also Brown 1 p106.447, p125.510 and p144.584.
The design for the obverse of this medal was seemingly changed very late in the preparation of the series since although the piece is correctly illustrated in Mudie's catalogue, it does not match the description on page 40. Presumably Mudie found the original portrait by Webb unsatisfactory.
There is a mule of the obverse of Mudie's final portrait of Nelson and the obverse of Brown 1 p156.635 (No. 12 in the Mudie series) in the Fitzwilliam Museum. Mules in bronze also exist of the obverse of this piece muled with the obverse of the medal issued by Mudie commemorating the battle of Vittoria (see Brown 1 p183.756) and p253.1047.
Bibliography: Mudie, James. 'An historical and critical account of a grand series of National Medals', London, 1820, 6; Milford Haven, Admiral the Marquis of. 'British Naval Medals', London, 1919, 518; Sandwich, The Rt. Hon. the Earl of. 'British and Foreign medals relating to naval and maritime affairs', 2nd ed., London, 1950, N/10.
- Location
- Not on display
- Associated events
- Commemoration of: Memorial to Lord Nelson, 1805
- Acquisition date
- 1877
- Acquisition notes
- The Bank of England loaned their Collection to the British Museum in 1865 wishing to make it accessible to the general public. This remained as a separate Collection until 1877 when the Bank Directors decided it would be more useful to the museum and the public if incorporated into the national collection. The Bank of England collection was therefore presented to the British Museum in 1877, any duplicates being sold to create a coins and medals purchase fund.
- Department
- Money and Medals
- Registration number
- BNK,EngM.273
- C&M catalogue number
-
MB3 (Brown 1) (147) (595)