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Archival description
Bicentenary medal
RSA/PR/DE/102/19/20 · Item · 1954-1980
Part of Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce (RSA)

The obverse shows the heads of Minerva and Mercury, and has been struck from the original die of a medal which the Society first used in 1820. It was designed by William Wyon RA, based on an earlier design by John Flaxman RA. The lettering on the reverse is new and was cut by George T Friend to the design of John R Biggs. The medal is silver gilt

Basket of Tropical Fruits

Illustration taken from 'Sketches Towards a Hortus Botanicus Americanus...of New and Valuable Plants of the West Indies and North and South America' by W J Titford MD Corresponding member of the Society of Arts, 1812. The Society encouraged the development of the Botanic Garden at St Vincent, where Captain William Bligh left some tropical fruits, including breadfruit for which he was awarded the Society gold medal in 1794. Used for the 1998 Christmas card.