Coins and Historical Medals

LONDON, Bishopsgate, J. Cutler’s Academy, an engraved silver Prize Medal for Arithmetic by J. Jackson, legend, rev. legend (From Numbers’ Aid and Art Never will Fame depart), named (G. Dudley, Christmas AD 1817), hallmarked London 1817, 45mm, 22.48g (Grimshaw p.28; D & W 241/292, this piece). Good very fine, rare; pierced for suspension £200-260

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, British Educational Award Medals from the Collection formed by the late T.H. Watts.

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The verse on the medal’s reverse, ‘From numbers' aid and art, never will fame depart’, is a mnemonic for resolving the original ‘Josephus problem’, in which from a circle of 41 men every third man is killed. It was also used as a winning formula in backgammon where the black pieces represented the Turks and the white, Christians

Revised estimate £200-260