Description

George II. 1727-1760. Silver Medal 1741, 53.67 g. Robert Walpole. By L. Natter. Bust, draped. ROBERTUS . WALPOLE . ORD : PERISCELIDIS . EQVES. Rv. Statue of Cicero. REGIT . DICTIS . ANIMOS. In exergue: M . T . C. Plain edge. 49.3 mm. Eimer 562. MI ii 562/193. Selten / Rare. Fast vorzüglich / About Extremely Fine. Rand herstellungsbedingt bearbeitet / Edge reworked during minting process.

Purchased from Spink Numismatic Circular, London, May 1996, lot 3110.

Robert Walpole, 1st Earl of Orford (26 August 1676 - 18 March 1745), known between 1725 and 1742 as Sir Robert Walpole, was a British Whig politician who served as Prime Minister of Great Britain from 1721 to 1742. He also served as First Lord of the Treasury, Chancellor of the Exchequer, and Leader of the House of Commons, and is generally regarded as the de facto first prime minister of Great Britain.

The obverse was done from Rysbrach's model, and the type of the reverse, the fancy of Dr. Hervey, was taken from Lord Leicester's statue of Cicero, and is intended to eulogize the eloquence of Walpole.