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

Great Britain, Brooklands, Junior Car Club, 1922, a gold medal, unsigned, Art Nouveau-inspired figure of Victory standing facing, laurel wreath held in her outstretched hand, reverse engraved legend in wreath (Brooklands Spring Meeting, 1922, L. Martin, 1 1/2 Litre Sealed Hdcp., 1st), 32mm. Extremely fine and very rare, a most interesting item awarded to the ‘Martin’ of Aston Martin fame (£200-300)

Lionel Walker Birch Martin (1878-1945), pioneer racing cyclist, motorist and bon viveur; b. St Austell, Cornwall; educ. Eton and Oxford; joined Oxford University Bicycle Club, 1900 and the elite Bath Road Club, 1902; cycled from Lands End to Hyde Park Corner on 27-8 Aug. 1902 in 22h 15m, knocking 3 hours off the previous best time; worked with S.F. Edge at Napier Cars, 1903-9 (cf. DNW 40, lot 722); established Bamford & Martin Ltd, car and cycle dealers, Callow Street, Fulham, with Robert Bamford, 1912; first competed at Brooklands, 1914; built their first car, called an Aston Martin, at Staines, 1914; company enjoys funding from the racing driver Count Louis Zborowski, 1921; several world and light car speed records achieved at Brooklands, 24-5 May 1922; company in receivership, 1925, re-established as Aston Martin Motors Ltd, in Feltham; acquired by the industrialist David Brown in 1948 and merged with Lagonda, now owned by Ford. Extensive biographical detail sold with the lot