Obverse: Bust of Queen Victoria, crowned and veiled, with order (L) Legend: "VICTORIA REGINA ET IMPERATRIX". Reverse: Britannia standing wearing a helmet (R), a flag in her left hand, holding out a wreath in her right hand towards troops on the march, ships in distance. Legend: "SOUTH AFRICA". Inscription on edge: "SPECIMEN". Bar: "DEFENCE OF LADYSMITH". Fitted with a bar and orange ribbon edged with red, with two narrow blue stripes.