拍品專文
The left hand-side medal celebrates the Coronation of King William IV in 1831. The obverse shows the bust of King William IV, the reverse the bust of his Consort Queen Adelaide. This medal was designed by William Wyon, chief engraver for the Royal Mint from 1828 until his death in 1851. The right hand-side medal commemorates the coronation of Queen Victoria with on the obverse a draped bust of Victoria wearing a bandeau and the reverse, the enthroned Victoria receiving her crown from Britannia, Hibernia and Scotia. The medal was designed by Benedetto Pistrucci (1783-1855), an Italian gem-engraver, medalist and coin engraver.
Pistrucci and William Wyon were fierce rivals since Pistrucci as a foreigner could not be appointed chief engraver and was made chief medalist, which he resented. This conflict continued into the late 1840s, sometimes featured in the press. In 1848 a Royal Commission on reform of the Royal Mint abolished the positions of chief engraver and chief medalist, with Pistrucci appointed a modeler and engraver to the Mint.