Watch List notes:

Alexander I (1801-1825), gold medal, 1814, by Thomas Wyon, struck to commemorate the visit to England of Alexander I and his sister, Catherine, Duchess of Oldenburg, alexander russiarum imperator, laureate bust right, rev., ob. advent. m.d. catharinae. hosp. gratissimae, Britannia seated left holding trident and olive-branch, shield bearing Union flag beside her, in ex., gaudens britannia mdcccxiv, 35mm, 29.06g (Diakov 383.1; BHM 845), virtually as struck with prooflike surfaces, excessively rare in gold Discussing this medal in BHM, Laurence Browne mentions an anecdote preserved by Richard Sainthill in his Olla Podrida, or, Scraps, Numismatic, Antiquarian, and Literary (London, 1844). According to Sainthill, 'The Grand Duchess of Oldenburg being expected to visit the Mint, Mr Wyon, at very short notice, engraved a medal of her brother, the Emperor Alexander, and complimentary of her visit to England...When she came to the Press or Coining-room no mention of the medal was made; but a gold blank being put in and stamped, was handed to her by Lord Bathurst from the die; she immediately recognised the likeness to her brother, and, when Mr Wyon was presented to her, expressed her satisfaction with his medal in the most flattering terms, and the next day sent him a diamond ring, as a further testimony of her approbation.' Ex World-Wide Coins of California auction XIII, 5 May 1988, lot 567.
Estimate: 5000-7000 GBP