Summary
Australia
Burke & Wills medal
1861 (AD)
Mint:Thomas Stokes
Thomas Stokes struck this medal about 1864 to commemorate the 1861 Burke and Wills expedition. The medal appears to be based on the famous sculpture by Charles Summers in 1864-65, and may in fact commemorate the sculpture rather than the expedition itself. The medal was struck on the aging W.J. Taylor press that Stokes had bought in 1857.
Obverse Description
At centre, image of Burke & Wills sculpture; around above, BURKE & WILLS
Reverse Description
Around: 'IN COMMEMORATION OF AUSTRALIA BEING FIRST CROSSED' in centre in eight lines; BY / BURKE / WILLS / KING / AND GRAY / IN / 1861
Edge Description
Plain
Significance
Thomas Stokes struck this medal about 1864 to commemorate the 1861 Burke and Wills expedition. The medal appears to be based on the famous sculpture by Charles Summers in 1864-5, and may in fact commemorate the sculpture rather than the expedition itself. The medal was struck on the aging W.J. Taylor press that Stokes had bought in 1857. -Sharples, John P. 1990. Medals as art: Australia and the Meszaros tradition. -D. Tout-Smith 17/9/2003.
More Information
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Collecting Areas
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Date Issued
1864 AD
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Issued By
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Mint
Thomas Stokes, Melbourne, Greater Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 1861
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Person Depicted
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Person Depicted
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Person Named
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Person Named
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Previous Collection
Numismatics Collection, National Gallery of Victoria (NGV), pre 1922-1976
NGV 88. Found in Seal Cabinet of Public Library and transferred to National Gallery of Victoria (NGV) before 1922 (listed by Chitty that year). Transferred to Science Museum on Victoria, 1976. -
Inscriptions
Plain (edge) (obverse) (reverse)
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Series
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Material
White metal
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Axis
12
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Classification
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Category
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Discipline
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Type of item
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Dimensions
38 mm (Outside Diameter), 24.75 g (Weight)
medal holed and plugged
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Shape
Round
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References
Car 1861/1
[Catalogue] Sharples, John P. 1990. Medals as Art: Australia and the Meszaros Tradition.
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Keywords
