Great Britain: Boer War: National Commemorative or Absent Minded Beggar 22mm
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Form:
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Circular with attached loop. The guilt medal sometimes comes suspended from an enamelled brooch in the form of a red-white-blue bow with “1899” on the left loop, “1900” on the right loop, and “TRANSVAAL /WAR” on the central rosette. “SPINK & SON LONDON” around a circle on the back.
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By:
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F. Boucher / Spink & Son, London |
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Date:
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1900 |
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Ref:
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AM: 27; Hern: 70; BHM: 3680; Eimer: 1851; Fearon: 351.7; Laidlaw: 0043b;
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Variations:
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| Size | Metal | Mass | Value |
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| 22 mm | Gold | | $180 | | 22.4 mm | Silver | 5.6 gm | $60 | | 22.4 mm | Gilded Silver | 10.2 gm (with Bow) | $75 | | 22,4 mm | Bronze | 5.6 gm | $40 |
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Edge:
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Plain.
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Obverse:
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Full figure of a British soldier with rifle at the ready standing on rocky ground, head bandaged and helmet at his feet. To the right: “1899- / 1900”. Legend: “THE NATIONAL COMMEMORATIVE MEDAL”.
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Reverse:
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To the left, a flag pole with the Union flag wrapped around an ear of wheat entwined with the national flowers of England (rose), Scotland (thistle) and Ireland (shamrock). To the right across: “THIS / MEDAL COM- / MEMORATES THE / MAGNIFICENT / RESPONSE OF / BRITAIN’S SONS / TO THE EMPIRE’S / CALL TO ARMS! / TRANSVAAL / WAR / 1899-1900”. Legend above and to the left: “THE QUEEN GOD BLESS HER”, and below: “DAILY MAIL KIPLING POEM”. The maker’s mark: “S&S” in small letters close to the rim on the left.
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Notes:
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The sentiment in Britain at the outset of the South African War was strongly in favour of the military action. Thousands of young men volunteered for service to “Queen and Empire”. Charities were set up to assist them and their families. The proceeds from the sale of this medal went to Daily Mail for the Kipling Poem War Fund which is reported to have received 70,000 pounds sterling in fourteen weeks.
The image of the British soldier on the obverse is from the illustration by Richard Caton Woodville, Jr. (1856-1927) known as the “Gentleman in Kharki” and can be seen on a multitude of memorabilia from the period.
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