Council medal of the Great Exhibition of 1851, bronze, by William Wyon, Pierre Hippolyte Bonnardel and Joseph François Domard, England (London), 1851

The obverse of this bronze medal presents the conjoined heads of Queen Victoria and her consort Prince Albert, she laureate and he bare head. The reverse depicts the erect, crowned figure of Britannia, holding wreaths above the heads of impersonations of Commerce and Industry. The group is surrounded by attributes of industry and commerce.

Given by the Commissioners of the Exhibition of 1851.

Historical significance: On the obverse are the portraits of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, her consort and president of the Society of Arts, which planned the Exhibition. Below them, the dolphins symbolise the naval power of the British Empire.

The reverse celebrates Great Britain's industrial and commercial authority. This is unambiguously conveyed by the Latin inscription, which translates as 'for there is a certain country in the great world', and the central group, surrounded by attributes of industry and commerce, with Britannia crowning the allegorical figure of Industry and Mercury, god of trade and profit. Behind Britannia, the flags of different nations suggest the international nature of the Great Exhibition.

While a number of unofficial medals were struck to commemorate the Great Exhibition of 1851 and were purchased by the public, five official medals were designed specifically for those connected with the event. These were the Council medal, the Prize medal, the Exhibitors medal, the Jurors medal and the Services medal.
The exhibition was divided into thirty classes, with juries appointed for each. Exhibitors showing remarkable originality were rewarded by receiving the Council medal, given by members of the Council following the recommendations of the Jury. Over 170 Council medals were awarded to exhibitors, with their name and class engraved around the edge.

Sets comprising all five medals were offered to the Commissioners, the governments of the participating countries, and a number of senior officials. As this medal does not bear the name of an exhibitor to its edge, it probably formed part of one such set.
In these sets, the medals were housed in a presentation box bound in red leather with heavy brass hinges and clasps with gilt tooling and lined with blue velvet and watered silk. The silk inside the lid is inscribed with gold lettering naming the recipient

William Wyon, the Chief Engraver of the Royal Mint, produced the design for the obverse of the medal, presenting conjoined heads of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. The reverse was chosen by a competition open to international artists. The winning entry, designed by Hippolyte Bonnardel of Paris, depicts Britannia crowning Mercury and Industry with a laurel wreath.

The medal was made for the Great Exhibition of 1851.
On the obverse are the portraits of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, her consort and president of the Society of Arts, which planned the Exhibition. Below them, the dolphins symbolise the naval power of the British Empire.

The reverse celebrates Great Britain’s industrial and commercial authority. This is unambiguously conveyed by the Latin inscription, which translates as ‘for there is a certain country in the great world’, and the central group, surrounded by attributes of industry and commerce, with Britannia crowning the allegorical figure of Industry and Mercury, god of trade and profit. Behind Britannia, the flags of different nations suggest the international nature of the Great Exhibition.

Struck medals can be made in large numbers. Each medal is formed mechanically by the force of two engraved metal dies pressing the image on to a blank disc of softer metal held between them. Struck medals are generally designed in low relief and have crisp, sharp outlines.

6028-1852