The Douglas-Morris Collection of Naval Medals (Part 1)

(Wm. Payne, Gunners Mate, H.M.S. Talavera 23 Years) the reverse inverted, fitted with ring for suspension, good very fine and a scarce variety

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Douglas-Morris Collection of Naval Medals.

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Awarded 29 January 1835.
He joined the Navy as a 'prest' man, taken from a merchant ship lying at Port Royal, Jamaica on 8 January 1808 to serve as an Ord aboard H.M.S. MUROS aged 20 years, born Stroud, Kent. Was rated a Petty Officer in 1813, a status he retained until finally pensioned - except for the two years (1816-1818) when he earned his living in the Merchant Fleet.

The normal striking of the circumferential words ‘FOR LONG SERVICE AND GOOD CONDUCT’ commences at seven o’clock, but seven medals are known with these descriptive words inverted by 180 degrees and thus beginning at one o’clock. These seven medals were awarded between 15 May 1833 and 15 July 1835, and the inadvertent placement of this reverse die can be traced to three separate batches of strikings under William Wyon’s jurisdiction at the Royal Mint, totalling some 96 medals.