VISIT OF QUEEN VICTORIA TO THE GUILDHALL

WYON, William: England, 1837, Bronze, 55 mm
Obv: Diademed head of Queen Victoria    VICTORIA REGINA
Rev: Entrance facade of the Guildhall surmounted by the royal standard
Exergue: IN HONOUR OF HER MAJESTY'S VISIT TO THE CORPORATION OF LONDON 9TH NOV: 1837.
Signed: W. WYON. R.A.
Mintage: 350
In original, plain fitted case of issue (see Appendix)
Ref: Welch 5; BHM ii, 7/1775; Eimer 158/1304; Taylor 73/53b;  Weiss BW557

In accordance with a custom which had prevailed for many centuries, Queen Victoria accepted the invitation of the Lord Mayor and the Corporation of the City of London to be present at the Mayoralty banquet, which immediately followed her accession to the throne. The procession, in which the Queen was drawn in a state coach drawn by eight horses and escorted by lifeguards, arrived at the Guildhall. The Queen was conducted to the Council Chamber, which had been fitted up as the royal reception room, and delivered an address. As a token of her satisfaction with the reception provided for her by the Corporation, Her Majesty presented to them her portrait, which was ordered to by placed in the Guildhall, in memory of the Queen's visit.

This medal, which commemorated the occasion, is particularly valued by British collectors as Wyon's lovely portrait of the young Queen was subsequently used as the basis for Sir Henry Corbould's design for the first postage stamp, the "Penny Black", in 1840.

LINK to history of the Penny Black (from wikipedia)

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