Joseph Banks portrait medal, 1820

The front of the medal features a head of Joseph Banks, the botanist who accompanied James Cook on his exploration of Australia. The die used to strike the front of the medal was cut by the artist William Wyon in 1820. A close examination of the lettering will show that polishing of the die for the hundred years before it was used on this occasion has begun to remove lettering from the legend. This medal was won by the Victorian Department of Agriculture for apples entered in competition at the Royal Horticultural Society, London in 1920.

Click to enlarge. (149kb)

Click to enlarge. (147kb)

Obverse – Portrait of Joseph Banks around which is the legend JOSEPH BANKS BORN 1743 DIED 1820.		Reverse – Struck with the legend THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY then engraved To DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE VICTORIA FOR APPLES. CHELSEA 1920.

Donated by Department of Agriculture, 1976