1739 Bronze Medal Admiral Vernon, A-C PBvb 1-B Commodore Brown

Coin Details

Auction Record

$630 AU53 09-21-2022 Stack's Bowers

Description

This 1739 bronze medal, cataloged as Adams-Chao PBvb 1-B, shares obverse die 1 with the PBvb 1-A variety but pairs it with a different reverse die B. This die-sharing pattern is characteristic of the Vernon medal industry, where die sinkers maximized variety by creating multiple reverse dies to pair with a single obverse. The B reverse features a different arrangement of text, ship imagery, or Porto Bello fortification views than the A reverse. Both Vernon and Commodore Brown appear on the obverse, commemorating their joint command of the six-ship squadron that captured Porto Bello. The medals were struck in copper alloy (AE) by London die sinkers capitalizing on enormous public demand. Commodore Brown's inclusion on these medals was unusual — junior commanders rarely received medallic recognition — but it reflects Brown's own efforts to publicize his role or the desire of die sinkers to offer distinctive varieties that would sell alongside the more common single-portrait Vernon medals.

Rarity Notes

Scarce. Die pairing 1-B uses a different reverse than the more common 1-A combination.

Cross References

A-C PBvb 1-B; PCGS #886462