Lot 530
530
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ROYAL GEOGRAPHICAL SOCIETY EAST AFRICAN EXPEDITION MEDAL 1878-80, bronze-gilt, obverse, Minerva standing facing left, a laurel wreath held in her outstretched hand, a globe and sextant at her feet, reverse, a wreath of palm and laurel leaves, enclosing the inscription, 'Royal Geographical Society', with the circumscription, 'East African Expedition 1878-1880', pierced at 12 o'clock for ring suspension, 39 mm., edge bruising and contact marks, good fine

Details
ROYAL GEOGRAPHICAL SOCIETY EAST AFRICAN EXPEDITION MEDAL 1878-80, bronze-gilt, obverse, Minerva standing facing left, a laurel wreath held in her outstretched hand, a globe and sextant at her feet, reverse, a wreath of palm and laurel leaves, enclosing the inscription, 'Royal Geographical Society', with the circumscription, 'East African Expedition 1878-1880', pierced at 12 o'clock for ring suspension, 39 mm., edge bruising and contact marks, good fine
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Lot Essay

This very rare Medal recalls that period of history when great African explorations were undertaken, many involving the Royal Geographical Society.

In 1878, Alexander Keith Johnston (1844-79) was appointed to lead a Royal Geographical Society Expedition to find the head of Lake Nyassa but he died the following year, some 120 miles from Dar es Salaam. Joseph Thomson (1858-1904), the geologist and naturalist of the Expedition, took his place as leader. Although not completing the Expedition's objective, Thomson did reach Lake Tanganyika in November 1879 and was thus able to confirm Henry Stanley's theory as to the Lukuga outlet of the lake. For his efforts as leader, Joseph Thomson received the R.G.S. Gold Founders Medal in 1885.

The R.G.S. East African Expedition Medal 1878-80 would have been presented to members of the Expedition, the above example showing every sign of having been worn.