Summary
Silver prize medal awarded to William Hall by the Port Phillip Farmers Society (now known as Royal Agricultural Society of Victoria) for his entry of Red Mangold Wurzel (a beet fed to cattle - today normally yellow in colour) in 1866. The Society was formed in 1848 from a number of earlier farmers' societies in Victoria. The Society aimed to improve agricultural practices to meet the food needs of a growing population, and conducted ploughing matches in the area around Flemington. In 1855 it established showgrounds in Parkville, opposite the present site of The University of Melbourne. The current showgrounds in Ascot Vale were not established until 1882.
Mint: not recorded.
Physical Description
A silver prize medal (51 mm. diameter) with a loop added to the edge at the top, featuring a rural scene of farm house, reclining cow, sheep, horse and tools below gum tree branch; in exergue in tiny letters, ARNOLDI and details of the prize engraved within open wreath below small Kangaroo
Obverse Description
Rural scene of farm house, reclining cow, sheep, horse and tools below gum tree branch; in exergue in tiny letters, ARNOLDI
Reverse Description
Engraved within open wreath below small Kangaroo, RED MANGOLD WURZEL / PRIZE / awarded to / Mr. Wm. Hall / MARCH 1866; around, PORT PHILLIP FARMER'S SOCIETY; below, INSTITUTED 1848
Edge Description
Plain
Significance
The Port Phillip Farmers Society (now known as Royal Agricultural Society of Victoria) was formed in 1848 from a number of earlier farmers' societies in Victoria. It aimed to improve agricultural practices to meet the food needs of a growing population, and conducted ploughing matches in the area around Flemington. In 1855 it established showgrounds in Parkville, opposite the present site of The University of Melbourne. The Society established a model farm on 59 ha in nearby Royal Park. Later, in 1870, it invested its assets in a new organization, the National Agricultural Society of Victoria, which set up a new show site at Emerald Hill in South Melbourne. The current showgrounds in Ascot Vale were established in 1882, and have been the base for the Royal Melbourne Show ever since.
In May 1890, Queen Victoria assented to the use of the 'Royal' prefix by the Society in recognition of its ongoing contribution to the improvement of agriculture. The Society then became the Royal Agricultural Society of Victoria and the Show, the Royal Melbourne Show. -Royal Agricultural Society of Victoria web site http://www.rasv.com.au/; Essendon Network for Employment, Education and Training web site http://www.enet.org.au/historyonline/mccracken/peter.htm; Glyn Rimmington, University of Melbourne, web site http://rimmo.mur.csu.edu.au/rimmo/hyperbook/5/5.4.html -D. Tout-Smith 2/10/2003.
More Information
-
Collecting Areas
-
Date Issued
1866 AD
-
Issued By
-
Artist
Arnoldi, Victoria, Australia
German die-engraver who worked in the Kangaroo Office. -
Awarded To
-
Inscriptions
Obverse: PORT PHILLIP FARMERS ASSOCIATION INSTITUTED 1848 RED MANGOLD WURZEL PRIZE awarded to Mr. Wm. Hall MARCH 1866 Reverse: ARNOLDI
-
Series
-
Material
Silver
-
Axis
12
-
Classification
-
Category
-
Discipline
-
Type of item
-
Dimensions
51 mm (Outside Diameter), 63.77 g (Weight)
Height with loop extended 60 mm
-
Shape
Round
-
References
[Article] Jewell, Ray T. 1962. 'Australiana' No.1. Australian Numismatist. 17 (4)
-
Keywords