Ancient, British and World Coins, Historical Medals and Banknotes

Great Britain, Dunlop Jubilee International Race Meeting at Brooklands, 1938, silver medal by W.J. Carroll, legend above speeding ERA car, reverse symbolic tree representing the growth of the company, 35mm, hallmarked WJC Birmingham 1938. Good very fine, toned, rare; in original case of issue

As part of their Golden Jubilee celebrations, Dunlop agreed to sponsor the race meeting held at Brooklands on 24 September 1938. This pioneering effort at motor sport sponsorship featured “a big marquee in which Dunlop’s guests were lavishly entertained, and everyone of importance in motor-racing, as well as almost every famous racing-car, semed to be present”, according to Motor Sport’s correspondent at the meeting. The principal race of the day, the Dunlop Jubilee Cup over the outer circuit, was won by William Couper’s stripped sports Talbot at an average of 119.86mph.
All competitors at the meeting (297 entries were originally received by the organisers) were presented with one of these medals as a memento. The car featured on the medal, the ERA (English Racing Automobiles), first conceived and built in 1934, was the most successful car of its type in short-circuit events, and a popular choice among the wealthy amateur racing drivers of the time. Two such cars, driven by Patrick Wakefield and Raymond Mays, won races at this particular event.