Watch List notes:

IRELAND. Royal Agricultural Society Gold Award Medal, ND (ca. 1873). PCGS Genuine--Damaged, Unc Details.
Diameter: 42mm; Weight: 44.95 gms. Engraved and awarded to Richard Mahony, Esq., DL. Obverse: Crowned harp; Reverse: Engraved in various scripts in eight lines: "To / Richard Mahony Esq. D. L / For the most approved / NEWLY BUILT / Laborers Dwellings / In the Province of / Munster / Erected 1872 & 73"; all within composite wreath of palm fronds and oak and laurel branches. EXTREMELY RARE in gold, this enchanting award medal does exhibit some unfortunate tooling in the right reverse field, accounting for the details designation. Given its historical importance, however, this is most easily overlooked.

Richard John Mahony was born in 1828 at Dromore Castle, his family estate, in Kerry, County Munster--a large county in the southern and western coasts of Ireland. He served as a barrister and justice of the peace, and was also involved in the evangelical movement of the 1860s known as the Ulster Revival as well as the Brethren movement. This medal was awarded to him for the numerous dwellings which he erected over a two-year span, likely being awarded later in 1873 or 1874. He passed away in 1892 in London at the age of 64. Of further interest, he was the father of Harold Segerson Mahony, born in 1867, who would go on to win the men's singles title at Wimbledon in 1896, coming back from two sets down to defeat Wilfred Baddeley 6-2, 6-8, 5-7, 8-6, 6-3.

Estimate: $1800 - $2600