103282 | GREAT BRITAIN. Jonah and the Whale silvered bronze Medal.

103282  |  GREAT BRITAIN. Jonah and the Whale silvered bronze Medal. Issued circa 1830. Medallic Illustrations of the Holy Scriptures series: Jonah deliver'd from the whale (73mm, 158.62 g, 12h). By Sir Edward Thomasen in Birmingham.

 

JONAH DELIVER'D FROM THE WHALE, Jonah kneeling left upon the land, having been released by a large fish [or whale] behind to right [the image inspired by Leonardo da Vinci, but seemingly a near copy of a similar 18th century engraving] // "839 B.C. / BY CONSEQUENCE OF THESE ACTS BY / JEHU, ATHALIAH QUEEN OF JUDAH MUR- / DER'D ALL THE BLOOD ROYAL OF THE HOUSE OF / DAVID, EXCEPT JOASH AN INFANT, WHO WAS ABSENT / AND SECRETLY PRESERV'D. AT THE 7TH YEAR OF HIS AGE, JEHOIADA THE HIGH PRIEST ANNOUNCED HIM TO THE PEO- / PLE, WHO MADE HIM KING AND PUT ATHALIAH TO DEATH. / FOR 23 YEARS UNTIL THE DEATH OF JEHOIADA, JOASH SERVED / THE TRUE GOD THE GREAT MEN OF JUDAH SEDUCED HIM / HE SERVED IDOLS WHEN THE KING OF SYRIA ATTACK'D HIM, / TOOK JERUSALEM AND CARRIED AWAY ALL THE GOLD VESSELS & / TREASURES, JOASH WAS MURDERED, AND WAS SUCCEEDED BY HIS SON / AMAZIAH, WHO WAS DEFEATED BY JOAS, KING OF ISRAEL. / WHEN JOAS DIED HE WAS SUCCEEDED BY HIS SON JEROBOAM, WHO WAS ENCOURAGED BY THE PROPHET JONAH WHOM GOD / HAD SENT TO RECOVER THE DIFFERENT COUNTRIES. JONAH / WAS SENT TO TELL THE PEOPLE OF NINEVEH OF THE DES- / TRUCTION OF THEIR CITY IN 40 DAYS. HE DID NOT LIKE / IT AND WENT TO JOPPA IN PALESTINE TO GO IN A SHIP / FOR TARSHISH. A VIOLENT STORM AROSE WHEN / THE CREW THREW JONAH OVERBOARD. A / WHALE RECEIVED HIM. HE CONTINUED 3 / DAYS AND 3 NIGHTS IN HIS BELLY, WHEN / THE FISH THREW HIM UP / ON DRY LAND" in 26 lines; winged head of cherub above and below. Edge: Plain, though a few light testing marks in one spot are noted for completeness.

 

BHM 1468.46; Eimer 1238. Choice Mint State. Most attractively toned, especially upon the obverse. Extremely rare in a format other than white metal, which itself is normally encountered very pestered and full of issues.

 

Part of a series of 60 medals that attempted to tell various important tales from the Bible in medallic form, this medal is usually encountered in white metal, with the white metal itself generally faring rather poorly. Here, however, it would appear to be one of the more elusive issues in a better metal and finish, clearly not employing the lighter and less durable white metal. Solid silver issues were produced in very small quantities for foreign VIPs such as monarchs, and Thomasen is believed to have had a gilt bronze set produced for himself. No sales records could be found for any of these lesser-encountered metal types, meaning that they must all be incredibly rare, especially when seen so dazzling as the present specimen.

 

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Upload: 18 August 2025.

 

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