Medal cast

Two casts obverse and reverse, of a commemorative medal. Obverse : Hull of the ship afloat but with only the bowsprit stepped. Legend: 'DE HERCULES, OORLOGSCHIP VAN 60 STUKEN' (the 'Hercules, warship of sixty 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 in 1782). Reverse: Inscription: 'TOEN ENGLANTS HAAT. DE NEDERLANDEN. BESTONT DOLDRIFTIG AAN TE RANDEN. HEEFT SPAAN. (GEHOLPEN DOOR ZYN ZOON,) VOL IJVER VOR 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 furiously to attack the Netherlands, did Spaan receive due reward for his zeal in building, helped by his son, the 'Hercules' of oak fastened with iron bolts; the great weapon with which to fight the enemy on the raging sea, and acting as the Netherlands thunderbolt, hurl the British into the abyss.)

Object Details

ID: SEC1301
Type: Medal cast
Display location: Not on display
Vessels: Hercules 1782 (Dutch)
Date made: 1782
Credit: National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London, Wellcome Collection
Measurements: Overall: 6 mm x 55 mm