REVIEW: BRITISH AND WORLD COINS, HISTORICAL MEDALS: 19 SEPTEMBER

An historic medal relating to the Battle of Lake Champlain in 1814 was expected to do well in this sale, but its final hammer price of £180,000 against an estimate of £40,000-50,000 helped underscore its significance to collectors.

The Congressional Gold Medal to Robert Henley, who served as second in command on the Eagle during the engagement offshore of the town of Plattsburgh, New York, recognised his contribution to a victory that effectively ended British attempts to invade the United States during the War of 1812.

The triumph led the President of the United States, James Madison, to request the striking of Congressional Gold Medals for Henley and three other senior officers. Such medals for naval service are truly rare, whether in gold or silver.

Silver medals were struck for each of the commissioned officers of the navy and army serving on board, with swords presented to each of the midshipmen and sailing masters.

A silver medal by J.M. Reich struck in honour of Captain Isaac Hull of the U.S.S. Constitution (Old Ironsides) marked his victory at sea over HMS Guerriere of the Halifax Squadron on 19 August 1812.

Commanding his crew to wait until the last minute in order to save ammunition, Hull waited until the two ships were alongside before giving the command to fire, having ordered them to load two round shots into each gun for firing simultaneously.

By the end of the engagement, Guerriere was a wreck and Hull a hero.

Congress voted captain Hull a gold medal with silver copies for his commissioned officers, with his entire crew sharing $50,000 in prize money. One of those silver medals, offered here with a guide of £12,000-15,000, sold for £46,000.

These and three other medals in the sale had previously been held in the outstanding J.J. Ford collection.

The Massachusetts Oak Tree Shilling, dated 1652, struck by John Hull and Robert Sanderson, the only two skilled silversmiths in the colony at the time of the decree, sold for £44,000.