1739 Bronze Medal Admiral Vernon, A-C PBv 42-RR

Coin Details

Auction Record

$2,280 MS62 08-23-2024 Stack's Bowers

Description

This 1739 bronze medal, cataloged as Adams-Chao PBv 42-RR, pairs obverse die 42 with double-letter reverse RR. The forty-second portrait die in the PBv series pushes the obverse die count to a level rarely seen in any medal series from any period. Reverse RR is deep in the double-letter sequence, indicating robust late-phase reverse production that kept pace with the extraordinary obverse die count. The PBv 42-RR combination documents what may be the most prolific die pairing sequence in the history of eighteenth-century English medal making. Struck in copper alloy (AE), this medal exists at the extreme edge of the Vernon medal collecting universe. The forty-second obverse die, hand-engraved with Vernon's portrait, represents a production system that operated far beyond normal commercial parameters. Whether driven by a single workshop's obsessive productivity or multiple workshops' combined output, the PBv series' die count is unparalleled in its era.

Rarity Notes

Extremely rare. One of only a few PBv varieties with obverse die numbers above 40.

Cross References

A-C PBv 42-RR; PCGS #906875