19th Century, Visit of the Duke of Edinburgh and Prince Leopold to The Athenæum, Manchester, 1881, a silver medal by S.M.L. & Co, portraits in oval vignettes, rev. elevation of the Athenæum, 45mm (BHM 3090; W & E 1394; Taylor –). Trifling obverse rim bruise between 9 and 10 o’clock, otherwise virtually as struck and attractively toned, very rare (£60-80)

The visit took place on 12 December 1881, following which the royal guests attended a soirée in the Free Trade Hall at which there were said to be some 3,000 people