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S/N 358
2015 Great Britain 8 oz Silver Battle of Waterloo Medal
With a mintage of only 1,815 coins and a truly fascinating backstory, this unique medal is a must for collectors and historians alike. The large 8 oz size allows the exquisite design to be shown in superb detail.
Contains 8.038 oz. of .999 fine Silver.
80mm Diameter
Exact recreation of the Waterloo Medal designed by Benedetto Pistrucci that took 30 years to complete.
Obverse: The heads of the four allied nations are featured at the center: Prince Regent George IV, Francis II of Austria, Alexander I of Russia and Frederick William II of Prussia. Surrounding these busts is an allegorical representation of the Treaty of Peace that emerged from the battle (the Latin inscription ‘Federe Junctis’ alluding to the treaty itself).
Reverse: Represents the mythical ‘Battle of the Giants’, where the giants are said to have unsuccessfully challenged the Olympian Gods. In this composition, Pistrucci depicted 19 figures struck down by the thunderbolts of Jupiter – 19 for each year of the Napoleonic Wars.
Guaranteed by the Royal Mint.
Struck to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Waterloo, this 2015 Pistrucci Waterloo Silver Medal is struck by Britain's Royal Mint in Eight Ounces of 99.9% Silver. Each medal has been approved by The Royal Mint and certified by NGC (Numismatic Guaranty Corporation) to be One of First 500 Struck and comes in a wooden presentation case, with a Royal Mint numbered certificate of authenticity and a Waterloo Medal storybook.
Sir William Wellesley Pole, the first Duke of Wellington's brother, commissioned Pistrucci to create the medal 10 days after the Allied victory. It took Pistrucci over 30 years to complete the molds because of the medals mammoth dimensions and the complexity of the design. The mold was a massive 134mm (5.28 inches) in diameter. By the time the molds were completed, the four Allied sovereigns who were to receive the medal had died, and it was never made.
The Battle of Waterloo brought more than two decades of Napoleonic Wars to an end. This brought a welcome peace over Europe. As a fitting tribute, the Waterloo Campaign Medal was struck for all who fought in the battle. But, it wasn't Pistrucci's medal. A second medal, Pistrucci's medal, was to be designed and presented to the heads of the allied countries and the commanders involved in the battle. Though the original was designed, it went unstruck in Pistrucci's lifetime and for many years beyond...Until now.
For the 200th anniversary of the epic battle, Royal Mint struck Pistrucci's design a reality with the release of this 8oz silver Battle of Waterloo Medal. The reverse represents the mythical 'Battle of the Giants', where the giants are said to have unsuccessfully challenged the Olympian Gods. In this composition, Pistrucci depicted 19 figures struck down by the thunderbolts of Jupiter – 19 for each year of the Napoleonic Wars. At the center of the reverse is a pair of powerful steeds, ridden by characters bearing the features of Wellington and Blücher, both guided by the winged figure of Victory, who was also depicted upon Wyon's Campaign Medal that was awarded to those involved in the Battle of Waterloo.
Inspired by Greek mythology, the obverse shows the heads of the four allied nations feature at the center of the obverse: Prince Regent George IV, Francis II of Austria, Alexander I of Russia and Frederick William II of Prussia. Surrounding these busts is an allegorical representation of the Treaty of Peace that emerged from the battle (the Latin inscription 'Federe Junctis' alluding to the treaty itself). The symbolic composition includes, among other characters, Apollo restoring the day and Themis, Goddess of Justice, who is placed next to the sovereigns as a symbol of the importance of order.