Summary

Commemorative medal commissioned by the Victorian state government as a souvenir of the Royal Visit by Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh to Victoria in 1954. The medal was presented to all Victorian school children. It was struck by Stokes & Sons of Melbourne.

The Queen and Prince Philip visited Victoria from 24 February to 9 March 1954. The first reigning monarch to tour Australia, she arrived in Sydney on 3 February 1954 and departed the country from Fremantle on 1 April 1954. The Royal party visited all the capital cities apart from Darwin, and over 70 country towns.

Physical Description

Bronze medal, hanging from a rectangular bar. The obverse of the medal features profile portraits of the Queen and Prince Philip.

Obverse Description

Busts of Elizabeth II and Duke of Edinburgh. Around, QUEEN ELIZABETH II : DUKE OF EDINBURGH. Beneath, STOKES MELB

Reverse Description

E II R/ ROYAL VISIT/ 1954/ VICTORIA

Significance

A number of souvenir medals were created to mark the Queen's visit to Australia in 1954. Not only was she the first reigning monarch to visit Australia, it had been 20 years since the previous royal visit: the Duke of Gloucester's visit to Australia, primarily to take part in Melbourne/ Victoria's centenary celebrations.

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