CAPTAIN COOK MEDALS

Turnbull Library Record, Volume XV, 1 November 1962, Page 15

CAPTAIN COOK MEDALS

Four rare and well-preserved medals commemorative of Captain Cook’s achievements were presented recently to the Alexander Turnbull Library, by Mr. James Berry, artist, of Wellington. The most interesting is that struck to mark Cook’s Second Voyage in 1772. Copper and silver examples are known, and the one now presented is the fairly rare silver specimen. On one side are shown the two ships “Resolution” and “Adventure”, and on the other, the head of King George 111. The ships, both Whitby built, were originally named “Drake” and “Raleigh”, but as these names were somewhat offensive to the Spanish who still claimed a monopoly of the South Seas, the names were changed to “Resolution” and “Adventure”.

The only copper medal is one struck after the Third Voyage, with the bust of Cook on one side and “Courage and perseverance” on the other.

The silver medal struck by the Royal Society bears a good portrait in profile, surrounded by the legend “Jac. Cook Oceani Investigator accerimus". On the reverse stands Britannia with the words “nil intentatum nostri Liquere” and “Auspiciis Georgii III” around the design.

For the occasion of the International Exhibition of 1879, a commemorative medal was struck in silver, with a fullfaced portrait of Cook above the words “James Cook discovered NSW. 1770”. On the reverse is a view of the Exhibition Building. The gift was made at the Annual Meeting of the Numismatic Society, of which Mr. Berry is the retiring President, and was received by the Chief Librarian, on behalf of the Library where the medals will shortly be on permanent exhibtion. See illustrations P. 36.