medal
- Museum number
- BNK,EngM.301
- Description
-
Pewter medal. (whole)
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Uniformed bust of the Duke of Wellington, right. (obverse)
-
Bellona driving a biga, left. (reverse)
- Production date
- 1813
- Dimensions
-
Diameter: 40.000 millimetres
- $Inscriptions
-
-
- Curator's comments
- Brown 1980 states:
The battle of Vitoria which took place on the 21st June 1813 was Wellington's first great battle of that year. Joseph Bonaparte, having collected all the baggage and camp-followers in the Vitoria basin, was strongly attacked on three positions. General Graham on the left, General Hill on the right and Wellington in the centre, who was to carry three bridges. The successful outcome of these three attacks eventually brought about the headlong flight of the French and Wellington was able to drive the French over the Pyrenees.
One of Mudie's National Medals (see Brown 1 p256.1057) issued in 1820. Examples of this medal occur in white metal and are probably restrikes and were not included in the series. This medal is believed to have been struck in gold but no specimen has been met with.
The Ashmolean Museum has a mule of the obverse of this piece and the obverse of Brown 1 p214.884 (Mudie 37 in this series). Mules of the obverse of this piece also exist combined with the obverse of the medal issued by Mudie as a memorial to Nelson. See Brown 1 p147.595.
Bibliography: Mudie, James. 'An historical and critical account of a grand series of National Medals', London, 1820. 22.
- Location
- Not on display
- Associated events
- Commemoration of: Battle of Vitoria, 1813
- 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
- Coins and Medals
- Registration number
- BNK,EngM.301
- C&M catalogue number
-
MB3 (Brown 1) (183) (756)
