SUNRISE IN THE EAST: THE NOVELTY OF EARLY WAR MEDALS
Dec 12 2016

The medal awarded for the Waterloo campaign of 1815 is generally regarded as "the first British war medal" - granted to all those present in a designated area at a designated time and given to all in the same format (a circular silver medal suspended from a coloured ribbon) regardless of rank or achievement. But its issue was far more a reflection of the importance of the event rather than the sign of any desire on the part of the British authorities to start issuing campaign medals for soldier...

SPINK: FOUNDED IN A TIME OF WAR
Nov 18 2016

At the time when John Spink was just beginning his business in London in the mid-1660s, the capital had just gone through the horror of the Great Plague, followed by the destruction wrought by the Great Fire and was in the depth of a military crisis which had already been running for over a decade. Hardly inspiring times to set up a new business! John Spink founded his goldsmith's and pawnbroker's business near Lombard Street in London around 1666 (though the actual date is not certain). The Gr...

Top 10 Medals
Mar 10 2012

Since joining the Medal Department at Spink in May 2005 I have researched and catalogued several thousand medal lots- choosing just ten has been a far harder task than I imagined, as each medal group has its own story to tell. I wish I could have included many more. Of course there are also a number of medals that we have sold at Spink over this period that would definitely have made my top ten, apart for the fact that they were catalogued by my colleague Mark- sadly I cannot claim the credit f...

The Victoria Cross at Auction Part 3: 2000-2011
Jun 11 2011

The Victoria Cross at Auction Part 3: 2000-2011 By the year 2000 over 260 Victoria Crosses had been offered for sale at auction (many of them on more than one occasion, and in a few cases having previously appeared on a dealer's list). Prices had risen considerably over the years, from the £26 paid by Mr. Holland for the V.C. awarded to Seaman Thomas Reeves at Sotheby's on the 5th May 1884, to the £120,000 (£138,000 including premium) paid by Lord Ashcroft for the V.C. awarded to Flying Office...

The Victoria Cross at Auction Part 2: 1983-1999
Mar 01 2011

The Victoria Cross at Auction Part 2: 1983-1999 On the 8th December 1983, almost a century after having bought our first V.C. at auction, Spink decided to hold their first medals auction, having previously been exclusively dealers. The final lot of the sale (Lot 404) was the Zulu War V.C. pair to Private Thomas Flawn, 94th Foot. Much interest had been generated by Spink's entry into the auction market, and the lot sold for a creditable £19,000, fractionally below the top estimate of £20,000, b...

The Victoria Cross at Auction Part I: 1856-1983
Jan 13 2011

The Victoria Cross at Auction Part 1: 1856-1983 'We have instituted and created a New Naval and Military Decoration, to be styled and designated the "Victoria Cross", which We are desirous should be highly prized and eagerly sought after…'  It is now 154 years since the institution of the Victoria Cross as the supreme decoration for gallantry back in 1856, over which time has been awarded to 1,353 individuals. The first investiture took place in Hyde Park amid great fanfare on the 26th J...

The Naval General Service 1793-1840 Medal Rolls
Dec 01 2010

The Naval General Service 1793-1840 Medal Rolls, Past and Present By John Hayward 'Why are young men told to look in ancient history for examples of heroism when their own countrymen furnish such lessons'? William Napier's words could easily be applied to so many acts of courage and devotion to duty shown by Officers and men of the Royal Navy during the numerous maritime engagements fought against this country's enemies around the world between 1793 and 1815. Most of the great sea battles,...

The Waterloo Medal - Nearly a Bronze Medal
Dec 01 2010

Waterloo 1815 - nearly a Bronze Medal By John Hayward "...... I would beg leave to suggest to your Royal Highness the expediency of giving the non-commissioned officers and soldiers engaged in the Battle of Waterloo, a Medal...". This suggestion made by the Duke of Wellington to the Duke of York in his Dispatches, just ten days after his victory over the French, swiftly gave rise to a letter from the Master of the Mint, William Wellesley Pole to the President of the Royal Academy on 11th Jul...