Victoria ROYAL ACADEMY OF ARTS INSTITUTE MDCCLXVII

theboz11

After seeing auldfart Medal, I began hunting furiously for this Exceptionally rare "RRR"Victoria Medal
IT MEASURES 2 1/4" IN DIAMETER AND WEIGHS 94 GRAMS. SOLID SILVER MEDALLION BY W.WYON R.A.
BHM# 1794

This is the patron's silver prize medal of the Royal Academy of Art. Some specimens have edge marking or numbers, however this one does not have any. The torso on the rev represents a man playing the pipes and is a Roman copy of the late first century B.C. of a Greek work of the late third century or early second century BC.

AuldFartte

That's a beauty! Here's mine



edit to add: Great Britain medal, silver, about 55mm dia., about 5mm thick. Obverse: Victoria Young Head by Wyon, legend VICTORIA D:G: BRITANNIARUM REGINA MDCCCXXXVII. Under the bust is PATRONA. Reverse: sculpture of a human torso and leg. Both the bust and the sculpture include the artist's name, W WYON S on the sculpture, W.WYON R.A. on the bust. Reverse legend ROYAL ACADEMY INSTITVTED MDCCLXVII. Under the sculpture is STVDY . Edge engrvd. TO MR. A. GATLEY FOR THE BEST MODEL FROM THE LIFE. DECR. 10TH 1844.

lordmarcovan

Oh, OK. I was scared to look at another one of your exonumic posts, but I succumbed, and curiosity got the best of me.

Nice, as usual, but the torso on the reverse is a little creepy, isn't it? Buhh!

Victoria looks lovely with her young head superimposed over deep proof mirrors. That's not something you get to see too much with coins. Not that proof medals of the era are necessarily any more common, I know.

rwyarmch

I like! Seems that the young head design can be obtained (with effort and $) in bronze, silver, matte silver and gilt.
My search continues!

theboz11

<< <i>I like! Seems that the young head design can be obtained (with effort and $) in bronze, silver, matte silver and gilt.
My search continues! >>



Your best bet is ebay.uk for these. I find a lot of my stuff there. Dan

rwyarmch

Now, almost everyone has one of these!

I actually like this rendition of the "Belvedere" torso and feel it would have been
much creepier if Wyon had used the obverse!

farthing

All 3 examples of the medal are lovely!

theboz11

With that kind of rarity, we must own the majority

AuldFartte

<< <i>With that kind of rarity, we must own the majority >>



That would be

theboz11

Check out the strike om these three Pieces, Mine has barely a wisp of hair hanging down from the back of Victorias neck and a weak PATRONS, while the strenght and coarseness of the rump and rock on the reverse indicates a much stronger press.

Aulds has a full pigtail of hair and a weaker rev.

rwym has something inbetween the two.

Now these are exceptionally rare and I would think all minted at the same time. I find the variations interesting

rwyarmch

I had the impression that these were produced beginning in 1837 and awarded regularly thereafter. Brown mentions examples in bronze, silver and gold but I haven't come across those other metals. It would be interesting to have a roster of recipient(s) by year but I could not find one on the Academy site.

Here's a couple more silver examples that show 1855 and 1872 as the award years. I guess a supply might have been produced
in 1837 without edge markings for future awards but wouldn't that have meant inscribing and awarding heavily toned (or dipped!)
medals as time went on?

BHM 1794 at auction

Surprise, surprise, the Belvedere torso used as Wyon's model for the reverse is on display at the Royal Academy of Arts, London!

Belvedere torso

AuldFartte

The variations on these are amazing. I hadn't noticed until you mentioned it, boz.
rwyarmch, thanks for those links

EDIT to add: Hey, check out the word "STUDY" on the reverse. You guys have STUDY, I have STVDY. That's interesting.