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This medal was intended to be awarded to exhibitors at The Great Exhibition of 1851 that took place in Joseph Paxtons's Crystal Palace.

This bronze medal is of the finest quality and design, typical of the Victorian industrial age. The engraver, William Wyton was chief engraver at the Royal Mint from 1828 until his death in 1851.

In 1851 Great Britain was arguably the leader of the industrial revolution and feeling very secure in that ideal. The Great Exhibition of 1851 in London was conceived to symbolize this industrial, military and economic superiority of Great Britain.

The Great Exhibition was visited by six million people and made a surplus of £186,000 which was used to found the V&A Museum, the Science Museum and some of the profit was used for the Albert Hall.

Bronze medal 45mm diameter.

On the Obverse the bust of Albert, Prince Consort.
On the reverse a dove on a globe within a wreath. "EXHIBITOR" on ribbon across globe, Surrounded by "EXHIBITION OF THE WORKS OF INDUSTRY OF ALL NATIONS MDCCCLI"

The medal forms an integral part of my collection of Great Exhibition items.