Summary

Australia
Medal - Ferdinand von Mueller of the Australasian Association for the Advancement of Science 1902 (AD)
Mint: not recorded
Other Details: Mueller Medal awarded issued by the Australasian Association for the Advancement of Science. The Mueller Medal was established in 1902 by the Australasian Association for the Advancement of Science (later the Australian & New Zealand Association for the Advancement of Science - ANZAAS), in memory of Baron Ferdinand von Mueller, Victorian Government Botanist from 1852 until 1884, the Director of the Botanical Gardens from 1857 to 1873, and arguably Australia's leading 19th century scientist. The medal was first awarded in 1904, to Victorian naturalist A.W. Howitt. The medal is today awarded for researches in anthropology, botany, geology or zoology.

The medal was designed by Walter Baldwin Spencer, professor of biology at the University of Melbourne and director of the National Museum of Victoria. Spencer had been instrumental in creating the award to honour Mueller, who had died in 1896.

Physical Description

A bronze plaque (55 * 70 mm) featuring von Mueller seated at a desk studying a spray of acacia and leafing through a book; a waratah on the reverse.

Obverse Description

Von Mueller sitting at desk, books open and holding a plant; above, FERDINAND VON MUELLER; below incuse, AUSTRALASIAN ASSOC FOR THE / ADVANCEMENT OF SCIENCE; TJ in field lower left

Reverse Description

Waratah at left; above, FOR RESEARCHES; on right IN / NATURAL / SCIENCE A plaque is provided at the bottom for engraving a winner's name

Edge Description

Stamped BRONZE

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