Commemorative Medals, Freemasonry: Scotland, The Foundation of the Edinburgh Exchange, gilt-silver medal, 1753, unsigned, Silence seated before the façade of the new Exchange, whilst the Grand Master of the Scottish Freemasons greets a brother mason, masonic emblems on ground, sun, moon and stars above, in ex., AMICITIA VIRTUTE ET SILENTIO, rev. arms of the Freemasons of Scotland, IN THE LORD IS ALL OUR TRUST, 30mm. (MI.671/383; CP pl. XXX. 4, p. 136; Shackles [1901], 95; Harris 105), suspension loop, very fine and an exceptional rarity
*ex A. H. Baldwin vault
George Drummond (1688–1766) was the Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Scotland from November 1752 to November 1753. Another variety of this medal has his portrait on the obverse. Originally, he had been initiated into Freemasonry in The Lodge of Edinburgh (Mary's Chapel) No.1, in 1721 and in 1739 became the Founder Master of Lodge Drummond Kilwinning from Greenock. A local politician, he was Lord Provost of Edinburgh six times and was Accountant-General of Excise. He raised the funds for the Edinburgh Exchange as he had done for the Royal Edinburgh Infirmary and he is now remembered as the driving force behind the building of Edinburgh's New Town.
(350-450 GBP)