19th Century Historical Medallions
The 19th Century, particularly during the reign of Queen Victoria, was the pinnacle of medallion production where many aspects of life were recognised and celebrated. Not limited to royal or military occasions, British medallions were struck to commemorate the Arts, Education, Industry, Engineering, Agriculture, Architecture and the Commonwealth. The first part of the century saw the creation of the Mudie series, a collection of 40 medallions celebrating British Military and Naval victories. The Art Union series was a collection of 30 medallions celebrating British artists from the mid 1800's to 1887, and the City of London series was a collection of 30 medallions celebrating the opening of various buildings in the City of London as well as receptions of British and foreign royalty. Most notable medallist through this time include the Wyon family who produced a vast number of medallions including the City of London series as well as many Royal events, and award medals for various societies.
