Watch List notes:

GREAT BRITAIN: AR medal (176.9g), 1859, Eimer 1187, BHM 1272, 77mm silver award medal of the Zoological Society of London (Founded 1826) by Benjamin Wyon after Thomas Landseer, a group of 11 birds with ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY / OF LONDON / 1826 incuse in exergue // a group of seven animals (elephant, 2 giraffes, hippo, water buffalo, and 2 llamas) in a forest setting, hairlined fields, but has retoned nicely, a magnificent example of this classic medal, TO WILLIAM DOUGALL CHRISTIE,FELLOW OF THE SOCIETY, IN ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF NUMEROUS VALUABLE DONATIONS TO THE MENANGERIE.AUGt. 1859. inscribed on edge, an outstanding example! Unc, RR, ex Jerry D. Williams Collection. Certainly one of the most popular medals of the nineteenth century. Christopher Eimer states that "the List of Fellows of the Zoological Society of London (1957) records the number of medals awarded: five in gold for special services; fifty-nine in silver, twenty-two in bronze (for keepers)." The design was approved in 1837 and the first medal awarded was in 1847. We know of only one other silver example selling at auction, at Christie's (ironically!) on December 9, 2012 for an extremely fine specimen. Photo size reduced.

Estimate: 1,200-1,500 USD