Admiral Vernon’s Portrait & Icons Medal

Value of 1739 Porto Bello with Admiral Vernon’s Portrait and Icons 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 full-length figure of Vernon, facing to the left, a sword in his right hand and his left on his hip. Behind Vernon are a cannon and a ship. Reverse depicts the six ships entering the harbor, with three ships sailing right and three ships sailing left. There are water lines between the ships. The steeple in the harbor points at the second “l”. There are 5 varieties of this specific medal with a cannon, full-length Admiral Vernon and a ship. Of the 5 mentioned, 3 haveVernon’s cane pointing at the letter “G”. One variety has a small date and two have a large date.

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