1741 Brass Medal Betts-306, The Capture of Porto Bello and Carthagena

Coin Details

Description

This brass medal, Betts-306, commemorates the Capture of Porto Bello and Carthagena (Cartagena), dated 1741. This variety combines references to both of Vernon's major Caribbean operations: the successful capture of Porto Bello in 1739 and the ambitious but ultimately failed assault on Cartagena de Indias in 1741. The Cartagena expedition, one of the largest amphibious operations of the eighteenth century, involved nearly 30,000 troops and 186 ships but was repulsed by the Spanish garrison under Blas de Lezo. European medallic art of this era served as an official record of imperial achievements, with court-appointed medalists crafting pieces that communicated territorial claims and military victories to educated audiences across the continent. Despite the failure, medal manufacturers had already produced optimistic varieties anticipating victory at Cartagena, making these combined Porto Bello/Cartagena medals interesting historical documents of wartime propaganda.

Rarity Notes

Common. Combined Porto Bello/Cartagena medal variety.

Cross References

Betts-306