elverno Posted June 3, 2011 Report Share Posted June 3, 2011 1822 King George IV Visits Scotland, Great Britain. 28mm BHM - 1192 - R While this medal is rare it also fits into that category of "Who cares?". That said it was obviously a big deal that the newly crowned King paid a visit. No less than 20 medals, many with multiple sizes and metals, are listed in British Historical Medals. There are several boxes of coins and medals scattered around my rather messy office that have never been photographed or put online at all. This was one of those that got tossed (not literally!) into one of those boxes to handle at some point. I remember being annoyed that BHM kept referring back to previous medals in its descrption and it therefore got the toss. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saor Alba Posted June 3, 2011 Report Share Posted June 3, 2011 For Scotland it was a big deal. Not since the time of Charles II and James VII had a British monarch visited Scotland, it was as though they were some backwater not deserving of a Royal Progress. Not only was the event commemorated on medals, but also even banknotes of the time saw fit to issue commemoratives - probably a first. As the reverse of your medal states, "Scotland hails with joy the visit of the sovereign" clearly attest too, it was a significant event for the time. Even Sir Walter Scott wrote about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
constanius Posted June 3, 2011 Report Share Posted June 3, 2011 For Scotland it was a big deal. Not since the time of Charles II and James VII had a British monarch visited Scotland, it was as though they were some backwater not deserving of a Royal Progress. William III was Dutch & spent much of his time in the Netherlands, mind he did find time to visit his father-in-law in Ireland!!! . Anne was 37 when she became Queen, had been pregnant at least 18 times, was obese & hardly went anywhere. George I was Hanoverian(German) spoke hardly any English, ascended the English throne aged 54 & only ever visited Hanover, where on his 6th & last trip he died & was buried there. George II was like his father born in Hanover, only came to England when he was 31, when his father became King. Also visited Hanover while King. England itself was, to them both, a foreign enough land. During those times the Jacobite problem meant that no British monarch would have felt very secure visiting rebelious Scotland. George III was the first of the Hanoverian monarchs to be born in England or to speak English as his first language. He was shy & retiring by nature, deeply religious & spent hours in prayer. He loved his wife & remained faithful to her, they had many children & George became a real family man. He very seldom went anywhere even in England. So it is hardly a suprise that George IV was the first monarch to visit Scotland & Ireland since the Acts of Union. As a Sassenach please accept my sincere apologies for any offence caused by the absence of a Royal Progress by those Dutch & German kings of England any earlier I am sure if they had realized how upset you Scots were even they might have made an effort, no true English King/Queen of Britain would have been so insensitive to your feelings. Remember Edward I, he loved Scotland so visited many times but was never was made to feel very welcome. I have holidayed in Scotland many times, where I live now(Canada) I can attend Highland Games in Georgetown & in Fergus each year Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
constanius Posted June 3, 2011 Report Share Posted June 3, 2011 Nice medal Vern, as Saor Alba states it was a very significant event for Scotland & in fact England. George even donned the kilt & it symbolized a true union of the two countries and a new beginning. Shame that the two great countries seem to be drifting apart, as Great Britain(including Ireland & Wales) they dominated & helped bring about the modern scientific world. They were greater than the sum of their individual parts. Obv: Laureated head of George IV, left. GEORGE IV KING OF GREAT BRITAIN. Rev: A Scottish thistle, SCOTLAND EXULTS IN THE PRESENCE OF HER KING. BHM#1196 AE R. Br R. 26mm by ? 1822 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saor Alba Posted June 3, 2011 Report Share Posted June 3, 2011 Great, now you guys are going to make me have to dig out me banknote with the Royal Progress arriving to Scottyland an' image it to share. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elverno Posted June 4, 2011 Author Report Share Posted June 4, 2011 Great, now you guys are going to make me have to dig out me banknote with the Royal Progress arriving to Scottyland an' image it to share. Ok. Beauty constantius! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Posted June 4, 2011 Report Share Posted June 4, 2011 It was quite a momentus occasion for the Scottish merchant classes and royalists of the time who gained the most from cow-towing to the tails of the english mantle . Edinburgh landmarks bear testament to that. However, I suspect (but cannot attest the same) that the average Scot was hissing and seathing at the visit. We Scots have long (racial) memories .....even today we still curse the English for their part in the massacre at Glencoe. Having said that, if you asked the average Scot to point to Glencoe on a map, I shudder to think what the response would be. Some things never change...from the old cattle rustling times pre-Edward I to present time we remain (as ever) more than happy to alleviate the burden placed upon an Englishman from the contents of his wallet. Nice medal of George III's wayward and reckless son, who was no credit to either his father or the UK..... or anyone else come to think of it. Mind you, he did have more than his fair share of creditors. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saor Alba Posted June 4, 2011 Report Share Posted June 4, 2011 GIV also had a wife that inconveniently kept following him and attempting to make him behave. She never succeeded, and death took her before her time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bagerap Posted August 13, 2013 Report Share Posted August 13, 2013 Just found this in a job lot and I now know exactly what Vern means. There are so many variables with this medal, I'm still no nearer working out which is mine. White metal. 27mm, 9.1gr. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freak Posted August 13, 2013 Report Share Posted August 13, 2013 They are all nice, and seem to be challenging to research. But, that can be fun sometimes too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
constanius Posted August 14, 2013 Report Share Posted August 14, 2013 Just found this in a job lot and I now know exactly what Vern means. There are so many variables with this medal, I'm still no nearer working out which is mine. White metal. 27mm, 9.1gr. It is BHM#1192 listed as rare in all versions, AR(45mm), AE(45), AE(28) and yours WM(28) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bagerap Posted August 14, 2013 Report Share Posted August 14, 2013 Thank you Pat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.