Ancient, Celtic, British and World Coins. Historical and Art Medals

Great Britain, A group of four Olympic and related medals awarded to Police Constable W. Hirons:
Olympic Games, London, 1908, a gold award medal by B. Mackennal for Vaughton, two allegorical figures seated holding a wreath above a standing figure, rev. St George riding left over dragon, angel at left, edge engraved (Winner Tug-of-War), hallmarked Birmingham 1907, 33mm, 28.13gm (BHM 3964; E 1905; Peers, The Medal 23, p.31, fig.3); City of London Police Athletic Club, c.1895, silver award medals by A. Clark (2), arms, tug of war championship below, revs. wreath, named (PC Hirons, 1899; W. Hirons), 35mm; an openwork engraved silver badge, back named (L.H.A.C. 1899, Tug of War Winning Team), hallmarked bhj Birmingham 1898, 40 x 31mm; together with a silver cup, hallmarked an, London, 1904, 145 x 105mm [5]. First good very fine, others generally very fine but one Athletic Club medal with edge knock, a very rare group; the first three in original cases of issue (£2,000-3,000)

Police Constable W Hirons, City of London Police, is alleged to have been assigned to guard Winston Churchill when, as Home Secretary, he paid a personal visit to witness events during the siege of 100 Sidney Street, east London, on 3 January 1911, when troops were brought in to assist police in the gun battle to apprehend two members of the Gardstein gang of Latvian immigrant burglars. Further details are sold with the lot. See Colour Plate VIII