Council Medal for the Great Exhibition of 1851

This struck bronze medal is an official Council Medal produced for the Great Exhibition of 1851 in London. Designed and made by William Wyon, Pierre Antoine Hippolyte Bonnardel, and Joseph François Domard, it was commissioned by the Royal Commission for the Exhibition of 1851. The medal measures 89 mm in diameter, with recorded depths of approximately 5 mm and a maximum of 13 mm. It features an edge inscription that reads: 'PRESENTATION COUNCIL MEDAL OF THE EXHIBITION / HENRY COLE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE'.

The obverse depicts conjoined profile busts of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert facing left, encircled by a beaded border near the rim. Two dolphins rest below the busts, and a trident is positioned to the right to represent Britain's naval power. Victoria is adorned with a laurel and jewellery. The reverse composition portrays a crowned, classically draped figure of Britannia holding laurel branches over Mercury (symbolising Commerce) and Industry shaking hands. They are surrounded by trade and industrial emblems—including an anvil, a cogged wheel, a shuttlecock, a bale of cloth, a ship, and an anchor—set before the flags of diverse nations.