Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Honourable East India Company Medal for Mysore 1790-92, gold, 43mm., milled edge, fitted with contemporary gold loop for suspension, good very fine and of the highest rarity £12000-15000

Only one other example in gold recorded at auction, in the Dr Arthur B. King Collection, Morton & Eden, October 2003 (£22,000 hammer).

This medal was given in gold to the Subadars of the detachment of native troops of the Bengal Army sent to Madras in 1790, under Colonel Cockerell, to operate against Tippoo Sultan. Silver medals of similar size were awarded to the Jemadars and Serangs, whilst the Havildars, Naicks, Tindals, Sepoys and Lascars received smaller silver medals ‘of an inferior value’.

Upon the mint master stating that the medals could not be so well struck and so neatly finished by his people as by a practical workman in gold and silver, the Government entrusted their manufacture to Mr Mair, the principal Silver Smith in Calcutta, ‘each Medal to have a perfect impression, to be milled around the edge, and to have a loop fixed at the top for suspending it.’ It was further required that ‘each Gold Medal shall contain two Gold Mohurs and ten Rupees; that each large Silver Medal shall contain two Rupees and ten annas, and each small Silver Medal, one Rupee eight annas.’