Medal - George III Theatre Royal

Reverse

Legend

Script: Latin

Lettering: GEORGIUS . PRINCEPS . WALLIARUM . THEATRI . REGIS . INSTAURANDI . AUSPICIIS . IN . HORTIS . BENEDICTINIS . LONDINI . FUNDAMENTA . SUA . MANU . LOCAVIT . MDCCCVIII.

Translation: George, Prince of Wales with his own hand laid the foundation stone of the theatre to the established under royal patronage in Covent Garden in London 1808.

Engraver: Peter Rouw

Comment

Brown: A brass box containing two medals was deposited. One medal was of bronze, on which was a portrait of his Royal Highness, and the legend as this piece. The other medal was deeply engraved in copper, on one side is inscribed "Under the Auspices of His Most sacred majesty George III, King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Foundation-stone of the Theatre Covent Garden was laid by his Royal Highness George Prince of Wales. MDCCCVIII". On the other side is engraved; "Robert Smirke, Architect." There were deposited also gold, silver and copper British coins of the latest coinage."
The extremely high relief on the obverse of this piece is achieved by casting the bust separately from the remainder of the medal to which it was then fixed by the means of two pegs which seem to go right through to the reverse. Any signs of the pegs on the reverse were then erased by hand.

Price

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