1739 Bronze Medal Admiral Vernon, A-C PBv 21-Q

Coin Details

Auction Record

$456 AU55 02-21-2024 Stack's Bowers

Description

This 1739 bronze medal, cataloged as Adams-Chao PBv 21-Q, pairs obverse die 21 with reverse die Q. The twenty-first obverse die pushes the PBv series into its highest reaches, demonstrating that the portrait-only format sustained production comparable to the icon-enhanced PBvi series. Reverse die Q is well into the later alphabet, consistent with the advanced obverse die number. The PBv 21-Q pairing documents the scale of the Vernon portrait medal industry at a level that surprised even contemporary observers. Political commentators noted the Vernon medal craze as evidence of popular enthusiasm for the war against Spain and dissatisfaction with Robert Walpole's cautious policies. Struck in copper alloy (AE), this medal is both a numismatic artifact and a primary source for understanding eighteenth-century British public opinion and the role of material culture in political mobilization.

Rarity Notes

Rare. Very high PBv die numbers indicate limited final-phase production.

Cross References

A-C PBv 21-Q; PCGS #930169