I bought this today on impulse. Very beautiful coin. I’ll be researching this coin and period, but if you have more info, or emergency tokens of your own from this period, feel free to share!
Lovely. I really enjoy these and i formally owned some. I follow someone on Instagram with a very impressive collection of these.
Here's some history behind your coin. There are several types, yours is particularly nice. It was made from Copper mined in Wales. In 1768, a massive discovery was made at Parys Mountain on the Isle of Anglesey, Wales, when a huge seam of copper ore was unearthed. This "Great Discovery" led to the development of what would become the largest copper mine in the world for a time, transforming the landscape and the local economy. The sheer scale of the operation was immense, with the mine producing millions of tons of high-grade copper ore over the next 150 years. This copper was critical for Britain's industrial revolution and its naval power, as it was used to sheath the hulls of warships to protect them from barnacles and rot, famously including Nelson's flagship, HMS Victory. The mining operations, managed by the influential Anglesey-born lawyer Thomas Williams, not only dominated the international copper market but also led to significant industrial and social change in the area. I live about 40 Miles from Swansea which is a seaport that became known as "Copper Bay" or "Copperopolis". Royal Navy ships and ships from around the world berthed there to be copper clad. The phrase "copper-bottomed" originates from the 18th-century practice of sheathing the bottoms of naval and merchant ships in copper to protect the hulls from shipworms, barnacles, and other marine organisms, a measure that made the vessels more durable, faster, and more reliable, leading to the term's metaphorical meaning of being completely reliable or trustworthy. Due to a severe shortage of small denomination coinage from the Royal Mint in the late 18th century, the Parys Mining Company, under Thomas Williams's direction, took a novel approach to paying its workers. They began minting their own copper tokens, which became known as "Condor tokens" after a prominent numismatist of the era, James Condor. The most famous of these tokens is the one featuring a hooded Druid's head, wreathed in oak leaves and acorns, on its obverse. This striking and distinctly Welsh design became one of the most widely recognized images on private tokens in the country. The reverse of these tokens typically featured the monogram of the Parys Mining Company (PMC) and a promise to pay the bearer the value of the token, often "on demand in London, Liverpool or Anglesey." These copper tokens were so abundant and widely accepted that they effectively served as a form of currency, alleviating the coinage crisis and establishing a fascinating chapter in British numismatic history. Many of these coins were minted By Matthew Boulton at his Soho Mint in Birmingham using the latest technology of the time. To Wales and the rest of the country, Anglesey and the copper mine was the equivalent of the Silver mountain at Potosi , Bolivia for a period. I will post my coin when I find it.
@Dafydd I suppose then that this medal also can trace its metallurgical pedigree back to the Welsh copper of Parys Mining Company, through the copper hull sheathing of Nelson's flagship Foudroyant. GREAT BRITAIN, time of Queen Victoria (1837-1901) Admiral Horatio Nelson and HMS Foudroyant Commemorative Copper Medal (38.07mm, 28.56g, 12h) Struck upon the breaking up of Nelson's flagship Foudroyant, circa 1897 Obverse: ⁛ HORATIO, VISCOUNT NELSON ⁛, bust facing three-quarters to left, in Naval uniform; BORN, 29th SEPTEMBER, 1758., DIED, 21st OCTOBER, 1805. in two lines below, REGD. NO. 311490 in small lettering along rim Reverse: "FOUDROYANT", LORD NELSON'S FLAGSHIP., view of HMS Foudroyant at anchor from port quarter; COMMENCED BUILDING, 1789, LAUNCHED AT PLYMOUTH, APRIL, 1798, WRECKED AT BLACKPOOL JUNE 16th, 1897 in four lines below; MEDAL STRUCK FROM COPPER OF VESSEL AFTER BREAKING UP in small lettering along rim References: BHM 3613; Eimer 1813. An interesting historical medal with faint woodgrain toning.
You are absolutely spot on @The Meat man. This is one of my favourite Nelson Commemorative medals and you have a fine example. I was a huge Nelson student and my life has been dogged by Nelson coincidences. I share the Birthday of Emma Hamilton ( Lyon) I owned a building in Lyon Close, worked with people who shared the surnames of famous Nelson Captains, my biggest customer was a Trafalgar House company and I met my wife in Nelson Square Bolton. I could go on and on. To be truthful I literally burnt myself out studying Nelson and 15 years ago woke up one morning and said "no more". At the end of the 19th Century and beginning of the 20th Century, there was a resurgence in Nelson's popularity. The late 19th and early 20th centuries were a time of intense naval rivalry, particularly with the rise of the German fleet. This period, often called the "navalism" era, saw a concerted effort to foster public support for the Royal Navy. Figures like Nelson, a symbol of Britain's past maritime supremacy, were resurrected and celebrated as national heroes. The Foudroyant medals tapped directly into this sentiment, reminding the public of a time when British sea power was unchallenged and reinforcing the importance of maintaining a strong navy in the face of new threats. Similarly, In the 1860's there was a resurgence of sentimentality and patriotism encouraged by the government in respect of fears of a French invasion and a volunteer force was seen as a great idea. There are many commemorative medals extant for this Association. The British National Rifle Association was founded in 1859 because of fears of French invasion. The NRA's founding goal was to "promote and encourage marksmanship" to improve the shooting skills of the British population for the defence of the nation. That is a sentiment long lost and I fear I am of the last generation of UK target rifle shooters. The USA NRA was founded in 1871 and based on their British counterpart with the aim ( excuse the pun) of improving rifle skills and marksmanship training on a "scientific basis." Thanks for sharing a great medal and great images.
@The Meat man @Dafydd thank you both for the info and photo! Cool piece of history. I’m glad I purchased it
Nice. A type I've never owned, though I did have a different Conder with a very similar druid on the obverse. I like stuff with Irish harps.
