Michelle

I have the 1833 medal. It was awarded to a G Lafayette in 1896. It says first class on it. I also have a second medal awarded to the same man in 1898. This medal matches the picture you have here. I'm looking for their value and also how to properly handle them

On 8/25/2008 at 9:40 PM, constanius said:

http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn21/constanius/IMG_1664_edited.jpg Later Medal http://www.btinternet.com/~julaben/IM007441.jpg

This is an early medal, the design was changed to 'improve ' Watts appearance later by making him look younger. Taken from a marble bust by William Wyon of James Watt

http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn21/constanius/IMG_1655_edited.jpg

 

Silver medal, approx 45mm across 48 grams, plain edge, no edge mark, nice old original toning with some blue tints, for the Royal Cornwall Polytechnic Society. Engraved by by William Wyon.

 

In 1832 the Fox family, a prominent Quaker business family of Falmouth, founded the Cornwall Polytechnic Society, to promote the ideas and inventions of the workers in their Perran Foundry. Medal depicts James Watt (19 January 1736 – 25 August 1819), a Scottish inventor and mechanical engineer whose improvements to the steam engine were fundamental to the changes brought by the Industrial Revolution. This was the first use of Polytechnic in England.

 

In 1835 King William IV bestowed Royal Patronage on the Society, at the request of Davies Gilbert and it changed its name from the Cornwall Polytechnic Society to the Royal Cornwall Polytechnic Society. Therefore this medal is post 1835 (dated 1833 for the foundation of the society)