Medal commemorating the launch of the 'Hercules' of 60 guns, 1782

Medal commemorating the launch of the 'Hercules' of 60 guns, 1782. Obverse: Port broadside view of the hull of a battleship moored. Legend: 'DE HERCULES, OORLOG SCHIP VAN 60 STUKKEN' (The 'Hercules', warship of 60 guns). Exergue: 'GEBOUWT VOOR DE ADMIRALIT OP DE MAZE: DOOR JACOBUS SPAAN, TE DORDRECHT, 1782.' (Built for the Admiralty on the Meuse by Jacob Spaan of Dordrecht.) Reverse: Inscription under a rose. 'TOEN ENGLANTS HAAT. DE NEDERLANDEN. BESTONT DOLDRIFTIG AAN TE RANDEN. HEEFT SPAAN. (GEHOLPEN DOOR ZYN ZOON,) VOL IJVER VOOR HET, EERLIK LOON. EEN HURKULES, UIT EIKEN HOUTEN, AAN EEN GEVOEGT, MET IJZREN BOUTEN. DEEZ ZAL NU MET ZYN STERKEN KNOTS, DEN VIJANT SLANN, IN'T ZE-GEKLOTS; EN DOEN ALS NEERLANTS, DONDERAREN, DEN BRITSCHEN VLOEK, TEN AFGRONT VAREN' (When England in her spite resolved to attack the Netherlands in fury, Spaan, helped by his son, was rewarded for his zeal in building the 'Hercules' of oak, fastened with iron bolts, the weapon with which to fight the enemy on the raging sea, the thunderbolt of the Netherlands to hurl the British into the abyss).

Object Details

ID: MEC0257
Collection: Coins and medals
Type: Medal
Display location: Not on display
Creator: Baerll, A. van
Vessels: Hercules 1782 (Netherlandish)
Date made: 1782
Credit: National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London
Measurements: Overall: 56 mm