Ancient, British and World Coins. Tokens, Tickets and Passes. Historical and Art Medals. British and World Paper Money.

Great Britain, British Ornithologists Union, Godman-Salvin Prize, c.1922, a cast bronze award medal by A.G. Wyon, conjoined busts of Godman and Salvin three-quarters left, reverse ibis overlooking an ornithologist’s watchtower, un-named, 49mm. Very fine and very rare (£30-40)

The British Ornithologists’ Union, based in Tring, Herts., was founded in 1858 by a group of scientists and bird-lovers, including Prof. Alfred Newton, FRS. The ibis featured on the medal is the Union’s motif and also the name of its quarterly journal. The Godman-Salvin medal was awarded by the Union’s council ‘as a signal honour for distinguished ornithological work’. The first award was to W.E. Clarke in 1922; since then only 23 such awards have been made, the last in 1999