1739 Porto Bello with Admiral Vernon Portrait Medal

Value of 1739 Porto Bello with Admiral Vernon’s Portrait Alone Medal

This medal celebrated the accomplishment of Admiral Edward Vernon overtaking Porto Bello, a Spanish port in Panama that oversaw the shipping of gold and silver back to Europe. Vernon overtook the harbor with only six ships, as he had boasted to Parliament. The English celebrated the victory with many similarly designed medals. The obverse of this medal features a half-length figure of Vernon, facing three-quarters to the left, his finger pointing at the legend. The legend states, “The British Glory Reviv D. by Admiral Vernon.” Reverse depicts ships entering the harbor with the ships two, four, five facing right and one to the left. The legend, states, “Who Took Porto Bello With Six Ships Only 1739” and in exergue, “Courage and Conduct”. The church steeples in the harbor point at the letters “o”, “w” and “h”. This medal has water lines only outside the harbor.

The obverse and reverse text read as follows: The British Glory Reviv D. By Admiral Vernon | and | Who Took Porto Bello with Six Ships Only; Nov. 22, 1739.