Diameter: 52mm
Pewter with copper rim and integral suspension rings as issued. Obverse: - Admiral Nelson’s armorial shield encircled by the motto of the Order of the Bath 'TRIA JUNCTA IN UNO' and surmounted by his profile bust, with Nelson motto scroll below 'PALMAM QUI MERUIT FERAT’ (Let whoever earns the palm (reward), bear it). Signed beneath ‘H.F.’ for Halliday Fecit (Halliday made it’. Legend: Inner line, 'ENGLAND EXPECTS EVERY MAN TO DO HIS DUTY' (between) 'NATUS SEP. 29. 1758’ and ‘OCT. 21. 1805’. Outer line, ‘ADMIRAL LORD NELSON D. OF BRONTE’ ’HOSTE DEVICTO REQUIEVIT' (the enemy defeated he went to his rest).
Reverse: Starboard broadside view of a ship of the line at anchor. Legend: 'THE LORD IS A MAN OF WAR / EXODUS C.15.V.3.' (below) 'VICTORY OFF TRAFALGAR / OVER THE COMBINED FLEETS / OF FRANCE AND SPAIN / OCT.21.1805’.
Read more
Erroneously known for more than a century as Alexander Davison’s Medal for Trafalgar 1805, the present medal is the subject of recently published research which reveals it to be far rarer than previously thought. The new research argues it was in fact designed and struck by the Birmingham medallist Thomas Halliday (c.1780 - c.1854) at his own expense, specifically for wear by 300 seamen selected from HMS Victory to play a central role in Nelson’s funeral proceedings in St Paul’s Cathedral. Among the compelling evidence presented is a the letter written by Trafalgar veteran John Brown, held at The Caird Library, National Maritime Museum and dated ‘Victory, Chatham, December 18th, 1805’, declares ‘There is three hundred of us Pickt out to go to Lord Nelson Funral. We are to wear blue Jackets white Trowsers and a black scarf round our arms and hats besides gold medal (sic) for the battle of Trafalgar Valued £7 1s. round our necks. That I shall take care of until I take it home to Shew it to you.’
While it was not made of gold in the event, the pewter medal has been traditionally stated as being given exclusively to the surviving crew of HMS Victory, which suggests an issuance of some 600 to 700 medals. Such a high number is in stark contrast to the seemingly low survival rate which better accords with sufficient medals for the 300 ‘Pickt’ men of HMS Victory who took part in the funeral proceedings on 9 January 1806. As for Halliday, he is recorded as being a modest man who ran a successful business in Birmingham from circa 1803 into the 1830s.
Reference: Satterley, A. & Comfort, S. (2025) ’Halliday’s Badge of Distinction’ - The Most Enigmatric of Naval Medals Correctly Described’, published in the The Nelson Dispatch, pp 268-280.