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Lr. 1340 — Earl of Dufferin Governor General Medal. 1873. Copper.

Currency:CAD Category:Coins & Paper Money Start Price:240.00 CAD Estimated At:800.00 - 900.00 CAD
Lr. 1340 — Earl of Dufferin Governor General Medal. 1873. Copper.
SOLD
575.00CAD+ (103.50) buyer's premium + applicable fees & taxes.
This item SOLD at 2022 Apr 28 @ 20:13UTC-4 : AST/EDT

Buyer’s Premiums will be added on all items as per the Terms & Conditions of the sale. Invoices will be emailed out after all sessions of the Toronto Coin Expo Spring Sale have concluded.

McLachlan-480, Breton-91, Clowery-101. 51mm. 78.0g. Plain edge. Signed J.S. & A.B. WYON. The Earl of Dufferin, Canada’s third Governor General between 1872 and 1878, started the tradition of awarding prize medals to Canadian students and athletes. The earliest memo regarding the medals was put out by the Office of the Governor General’s secretary, H.C. Fletcher, on January 24, 1874:

“Sir, – With the view of encouraging education, His Excellency the Governor General is desirous of presenting annually, during the time he remains in Canada, prizes to some of the principal universities and schools in the Dominion. He proposes to give gold and silver medals to be competed for at universities, and silver and bronze medals at the more important schools.”

First-year 1873 Dufferin medals are rare in all metals (copper, silver, gold). Freeman Clowery reports just 61 copper examples distributed (compared to 73 silver and 14 gold) and far fewer are available in the numismatic marketplace. This problem-free example is medium brown with glossy surfaces and blue, gold, and rose accents. A single identifying spot occurs right of the Countess of Dufferin’s neck.
Ex: Nicolet Seminary Collection (Champagne Auctions, 5/2017), lot 116.
From the Michael Joffre Collection of Canadian Historical Medals.