Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Sea Gallantry Medal (Foreign Services), V.R., large, bronze, ‘Victoria Regina Cudi Jussit MDCCCXLI’, unnamed specimen, light cabinet marks, good very fine, rare £240-£280

The Sea Gallantry Medal (Foreign Services) was instituted as a large medallion, without suspension, in 1841. The original intention was for a common reverse, bearing the inscription ‘Victoria Regina Cudi Jussit MDCCCXLI), but in the event this reverse was never used, and early awards were made with the reverse struck from a specially commissioned die, bearing details of the rescue and the name of the recipient. In 1850, owing to the expense of creating a new reverse die for each award, a standard reverse was instituted, with the new inscription ‘For Saving the Life of a British Subject’.