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Great Britain: Coronation of King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra / Children of the Colonies

Great Britain: Coronation of King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra /  Children of the ColoniesGreat Britain: Coronation of King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra /  Children of the Colonies
Great Britain: Coronation of King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra /  Children of the ColoniesGreat Britain: Coronation of King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra /  Children of the Colonies
Great Britain: Coronation of King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra /  Children of the ColoniesGreat Britain: Coronation of King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra /  Children of the Colonies
Form: Circular. Matt finish.
By: Frank Bowcher / Spink & Sons of London.
Date: 1902
Ref:  BHM: 3741; Eimer: 1869; Laidlaw: 0759a;
Variations:
SizeMetalMassValue
46 mmGold 18ct51.0 gm$2,600
46.2 mmSilver53.9 gm$130
46 mmBronze$50

Edge: Plain. Sometimes engraved with Boer War significance. Sometimes engraved as a gift. This silver medal: "MARJORIE ROYDEN. FROM UNCLE BILLY.".

Obverse: Conjoined crowned and robed busts of the King and Queen, right. Signed incused: “SPINK.F / F.BOWCHER.INV.SC” on the truncation. Legend: "EDWARD.VII (left) ALEXANDRA (right).

Reverse: Helmeted female figure of Empire holding King's crown aloft in front of Westminster Abbey. On the right, a youthful Britannia with trident and Union shield. On the left for children representing the continents of the Empire: Africa with earrings, Australia in hat holding a Kangaroo, America with feather headdress and India, and all, together with Britannia, linked with a garland chain. Signed incused: “F.BOWCHER / SPINK.F” on the right. Legend, above left: "GOD SAVE THE KING". In the exergue, incused: "CROWNED.JUNE.26TH / 1902".

Notes: A number of other sizes were made:
76 mm in gold, silver and bronze
39 mm in silver and bronze
32 mm in silver and bronze

These medals are almost the same as Laidlaw 0759b. The most apparent difference, apart from the metals, is that that they have been signed by Frank Bowcher.

The coronation had to be postponed to 9 August because the King required emergency surgery for appendicitis. It is reported (BHM and Eimer) that some medals bear the revised date.