Exonumia Auction - Maine Antique Digest

Corporation of the City of London MedalsLot 354 (reduced)granting respected citizens freedom from serfdom At one time itconferred some significant privileges, but is now mostly honorific.It is akin to our presenting someone with the “Key to the City.”400 struck. (G)355. VISIT OF THE COLONIAL AND INDIANREPRESENTATIVES TO LONDON, 1886 – A CASEDPAIR. BHM 3214; Eimer 1726, Welch 21. 77mm. ChocolateBronze. (Elkington) Both medals are Uncirculated. Obversewith the crowned shield of England supported by three shieldsof the colonies, mantle & rays behind, a motto on the ribandbelow: UNITY PEACE CONCORD. The surrounding legendreads: TO COMMEMORATE THE COLONIAL AND INDIANRECEPTION AT THE GUILDHALL, LONDON, 1886. Reverse:Three dimensional view of the interior of the Guildhall. In theexergue, the shield of London divides the motto, DOMINEDIRIGE NOS.450 medals were struck in bronze. Housed is its original 8 x 4½"Lot 355 (reduced)double box bearing the city arms and a ten line gilt stampedinscription. (I)356. CORPORATION OF THE CITY OF LONDON VICTORIAJUBILEE MEDAL, 1887. BHM 3284; Eimer 1732. 80mm.Bronze. Anton Scharff, Sc. Choice Uncirculated. Housed in itsoriginal 4 ½ v 4 ½” case giltstamped with the city arms and a11 line inscription. On the obverse, the legend, REGINA 1838* VICTORIA * IMPERATRIX 1887, forms a semi-circle aroundthe conjoined crowned and draped young and old busts of QueenVictoria to the left. The reverse bears a representation of Britanniastanding in a triumphal car drawn by two lions and flanked byfigures of Justice and Wisdom. In the exergue are the arms and themotto of the City of London.This medal is among the most desirable of all of those issued forthe jubilee. A scant 450 specimens were struck for the Corporationof the City of London. It is one of the premier pieces in theirdistinguished series of medals. Anton Scharff is one of the mostcelebrated medalists of the 19 th century. Forrer devoted no lessthan 16 pages to him. The obverse of the Jubilee medal is picturedby Forrer. a significant choice as he listed several hundred of95H