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OPENING OF NEW COAL EXCHANGE
WYON, Benjamin: England, 1849, Bronze, 89 mm
Obv: Cameos of Royal Family: Prince Albert, the Prince of Wales and the
Princess Royal around Queen Victoria NEW COAL EXCHANGE OPENED OCT. 30TH
1849, BY H.R.H. PRINCE ALBERT ON BEHALF OF HER MAJESTY QUEEN VICTORIA
Rev: Interior of coal exchange on either side of which is Italian foliated
work. Around: THE RT HONBLE SIR JAMES DUKE LORD MAYOR –JOHN WOOD ESQRE.
CHAIRMAN OF THE COMMITTEE–JAMES B. BUNNING, ESQRE. ARCHITECT. In exergue
are oak branches with oval shield charged with the City arms.
Signed: B. WYON SC.
Mintage: 350
In original case of issue (see
Appendix)
Ref: Welch 6; BHM 146/2357; Eimer 171/1435; Eidlitz 29/160;
Weiss BW294
The building was designed to provide a place of business
where the buyers and sellers of coal were able to exchange contracts. During
excavations for the foundations it was found to be on the site of a Roman
bath.
The architect, James Bunstone Bunning (1802-1863), constructed the Coal
Exchange using an inner skeleton of cast iron, with an integral system
of decoration, largely based on the rope motif symbolic of the coal
miners and colliers, a motif which is seen on both sides of the medal.
Bunning also built the new
City of London School, largely at his own
expense.
This medal of the New Coal Exchange is said to be the finest architectural
medal in the entire British series and is generally considered to be Benjamin
Wyon's masterpiece (Eimer). It also was the largest
medal struck in Britain.
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