Description

Victoria, 1837-1901. Gold Medal 1842, 1.87 g. Gold Extracted from Silver Captured in the First Opium War. Unsigned. Crown above. THIS GOLD DISCOVERED IN SYCEE SILVER THE PRIZE OF BRITISH ARMS IN CHINA WAS EXTRACTED AT H.M. MINT MARCH 1842. Rv. THE R.T HON W. GLADSTONE MASTER BY A PROCESS FIRST APPLIED TO THE PUBLIC SERVICE AND TO THE BENEFIT OF BRITISH COMMERCE UNDER THE R.T HON. J.C. HERRIES 1829. Plain edge. 16.1 mm. Eimer -. BHM 2070. Sehr selten / Very rare. Fast FDC / About Mint State. Minimale Haarlinien / Minimal hairlines.

Purchased from Münzgalerie München, Munich, February 1983, lot 624.

The First Opium War (1839 - 1842) was a conflict between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, and China (under the Qing Dynasty) that arose from disputes over trade, diplomacy, and the opium trade. It marked the beginning of a period of Western imperialism in China and had profound consequences for Chinese sovereignty and global trade. Among other things, China had to cede the island of Hong Kong to the United Kingdom, which became a British colony and a key trading port, and pay 21 million silver dollars in reparations to the United Kingdom.

John Charles Herries (1778-1835) and William Ewart Gladstone (1809 - 1898) both held office as Master of the Mint. The refining method referred to is the sulphuric acid process which was established in France in 1802. Mathieson, a melter at the Royal Mint, obtained knowledge of the process and Herries, the then Master of the Mint, allowed him to experiment in a private capacity whilst reserving an option for the government should the experiments be successful.