A Collection of Pacific Exploration Medals

Lot 614    SESSION 3 (2.30pm Tuesday 31st March)    A Collection of Pacific Exploration Medals

Estimate $15,000
Bid at live.noble.com.au
SOLD $12,500

GEORGE III, Resolution and Adventure Medal, 1772, in silver (44mm) by Matthew Boulton for Sir Joseph Banks. Struck from the second reverse die (no die crack) (M.H.373; BHM 165; Klenman 1). Attractively toned, extremely fine and rare, only 142 struck.

Ex Noble Numismatics Sale 84 (lot 551) and Spink Noble Sale 43 (lot 677) (illus on front cover). The "Resolution and Adventure" medal, commissioned by Banks and underwritten by the Admiralty for Cook's second voyage: the silver and platina issues are both rare. The medals were originally minted for distribution as gifts on the voyage; numerous references to this practice in the narrative of the voyage are cited by L. Richard Smith. Flaws in the reverse of the platina issue caused by the breaking of the original die are visible in both examples as is the "weighed" (vertical) anchor of Resolution. The replacement die (used for the gold and silver striking) had the anchor "home" (horizontal). Smith observes that "even allowing for presentation by Cook to his crews, souveniring by everyone along the way, and retention by Banks of a quantity, it is likely that 75% or some 1500 were given away in 'new discovered countries'. Since only a handful of these have ever been recovered, the rarity of the platina examples is much greater than normally considered". The specimens remaining at the end of the second voyage were taken on the third and similarly distributed. "Banks had also decided that some form of medal should be struck to commemorate this voyage. He was aware that French Expedition under the command of Louis Antoine de Bougainville had done this, leaving France in 1766 with a supply of medals to be distributed in the course of the voyage. Ironically, it was the Foresters-father and son-who probably discussed this matter with Banks - George Forester had translated Bougaunville's voyage into English, and he and his father Johann Reinhold were to displace Banks in his second voyage. While the idea of taking the medals was probably Bank's, the realisation of the idea was probably Boulton's. Boulton, a celebrated medalist, designer and engraver, supplied the first steampress to the Royal mint. The actual order to Boulton would have been made in fairly vague terms, and Boulton then produced a medal to his own design using Banks suggestions. It is probable that Banks at first only considered the production of a quantity of medals for his own presentation; it was not until later that the idea of offical distribution to the natives and the consequent transfer of the die costs to the Admiralty occurred to him.." (L. Richard Smith, The Resolution & Adventure Medal, Sydney, 1985).