101609 | GREAT BRITAIN. St. Paul's Cathedral white metal Medal.

101609  |  GREAT BRITAIN. St. Paul's Cathedral white metal Medal. Issued circa 1845 (43mm, 26.60 g, 12h). By J. Davis in Birmingham.

 

St PAUL'S CATHEDRAL / LONDON, exterior perspective view of the cathedral // Legend in 22 lines. Edge: Plain.

 

Cf. BHM 2377 (bronze); Eimer –; cf. Taylor 39g (bronze). Mint State. Highly brilliant and shimmering, though numerous hairlines in the fields prevent a higher designation; a few spots on the reverse.

 

Originally founded in 604, the cathedrals that have stood in the location of St. Paul's have been destroyed by fire numerous times during the middle ages, with the "Old St. Paul's" famously being a calamity during the Great Fire of London in 1666, of which it was one of nearly 90 churches destroyed by the massive conflagration. Sir Christopher Wren was tasked with rebuilding many of these structures, St. Paul's being the crown jewel. This present version was officially consecrated in 1697, some 31 years after the Great Fire. During World War II, the cathedral did suffer some damage from German bombings, but survived mostly without issue.

 

Upload: 2 January 2024.