A rare General Officers’ Gold Medal complete with gold fitments and ribbon (left) was sold for £85,000 (plus 20% buyer’s premium) by Dix Noonan Webb on May 9-10.
It was awarded to General Sir Thomas Hislop (1764-1843), a veteran and sometimes controversial campaigner whose career included the Siege of Gibraltar (1780-83), command of the First Division at the capture of Guadeloupe in 1810, a four-hour engagement with the USS Constitution during the War of 1812 and Commander-in-Chief of Army of the Deccan at the victory at Maheidpore in 1817. As engraved verso, he was given this rare award for his actions at Guadeloupe. The Army Gold Medal, designed by Thomas Wyon, was established in 1810 to reward the service of senior officers.