1739 Bath Metal Medal Betts-222, Admiral Vernon

Coin Details

Description

This bath metal medal, Betts-222, continues the Admiral Vernon Porto Bello series. The bath metal composition was standard for these popular commemoratives, keeping costs low enough for ordinary citizens to purchase. Vernon's popularity extended beyond military circles: he was seen as a champion of the common man against the aristocratic political establishment represented by Walpole. The medals therefore served dual purposes as military commemoratives and political badges. European courts employed specialized medalists whose skills in miniature portraiture and allegorical composition made them essential figures in the propaganda machinery that supported colonial expansion. Many varieties include pointed political inscriptions supporting Vernon's stance on aggressive colonial warfare or criticizing the government's perceived timidity in prosecuting the war against Spain.

Rarity Notes

Common. Bath metal Vernon variety.

Cross References

Betts-222