Admiral Nelson Battle of Trafalgar Medal 1805 Presented by Matthew Boulton to Seamen

An Original 1805 White Metal Seaman'sTrafalgar Medal. By Conrad Heinrich Küchler and struck at Boulton's Soho Mint

Rev: Bust of Admiral Nelson in uniform. "HORATIO VISCOUNT NELSON. K. B. DUKE OF BRONTE. &c"

Obv: View of the sea battle. "ENGLAND EXPECTS EVERY MAN WILL DO HIS DUTY". Exergue: "TRAFALGAR OCTR. 21. 1805."

Edge in incused letters: "TO THE HEROES OF TRAFALGAR FROM M: BOULTON."

The medal was presented privately, with the permission of the Admiralty, by Matthew Boulton of the Soho Mint to all officers (in copper or silvered copper) and other ranks (in white metal) who took part in the engagement. It is recorded that the seamen were none too pleased to discover that their pewter medal had no intrinsic value and was not worth even a pint of beer at the local taverns. Apparently, many of the original 14,000 medals were tossed into the sea in disgust.

The Battle of Trafalgar resulted in the destruction of Napoleons's French Fleet.  The British victory had major consequences for the history South Africa.  The French were no longer able to defend the Dutch colony in the Cape of Good Hope.  In 1806 the colony was captured by the British who retained sovereignty until Union in 1910.

White metal (or pewter).  Diameter 48.1 mm.  Mass 39.1 gm. In poor condition but high quality examples fetch over US$1,000.