1739 Brass Medal Betts-197, Porto Bello Taken

Coin Details

Description

This brass medal, Betts-197, commemorates the British capture of Porto Bello by Admiral Edward Vernon on November 21, 1739. Vernon captured the Spanish colonial port in present-day Panama with only six ships, fulfilling his boast to Parliament that he could take it with so few vessels. The victory electrified Britain and launched a massive commemorative medal industry. Porto Bello medals, produced in enormous variety, are among the most common and widely collected colonial American medals. Betts cataloged over 100 varieties, making the Vernon series the largest single group in his reference. Medal production technology evolved significantly during the Betts period, from the hand-engraved dies and screw presses of the sixteenth century to the more mechanized operations that became standard by the mid-eighteenth century. This brass striking is characteristic of the affordable medals produced for popular consumption celebrating Vernon's triumph.

Rarity Notes

Common by Betts medal standards. Vernon medals were mass-produced in many varieties.

Cross References

Betts-197