The Telford Medal
Since 1826, the first suspension bridge in history has spanned the Menai Strait, connecting the island of Anglesey with the Welsh mainland. This pioneering feat of engineering is commemorated by the Telford Medal, which is still awarded today by the Institution of Civil Engineers for outstanding achievements.
In 1800, the British central government passed the Act of Union, which officially incorporated Ireland into the United Kingdom. This did not bring about equality. On the contrary, the Irish Parliament was abolished and the country was administered from London. Ireland developed into a kind of privileged colony whose resources were exploited by Great Britain. The Irish fought back. There were repeated uprisings. To get them under control, the British government financed a bridge over the Menai Strait, connecting the island of Anglesey with the Welsh mainland. This shortened the journey from London to the military port of Holyhead by nine hours. And that meant British troops could be moved to Ireland more quickly. A medal commemorates Thomas Telford, the builder of the bridge, which was opened on January 30, 1826.
What can be seen on the Telford medal?
The front of the medal shows a portrait of Thomas Telford facing left. Telford is considered one of the most important British engineers and is often referred to as the father of civil engineering. He was involved in the construction of around 1,600 kilometers of roads, 1,200 bridges, and numerous churches and port facilities.
On the neck section, we see the unusual inscription AFTER W. WYON R. A.; R. A. stands for Royal Academy, of which William Wyon was a member. The AFTER refers to the fact that this medal was not made from William Wyon’s original die, but from a new pair of dies created by Wyon’s nephews Joseph Shepherd and Alfred Benjamin Wyon around 1870.
The reverse side shows a naturalistic depiction of the world’s first suspension bridge. Built by Telford, the Menai Bridge crossed a narrow inlet separating Anglesey from the Welsh mainland. The bridge had a maximum span of 177 meters and a total length of 520 meters. Telford had to choose a new construction method because the British government had tasked him with maintaining the inlet as a waterway for shipping. The suspension design meant that the bridge was 30 meters above the water. This allowed even large sailing ships to pass through, as impressively illustrated on this medal: we see a steamship and a Baltimore clipper passing under the bridge. Baltimore clippers were a common type of ship at the time. The height of their two masts was usually less than 30 meters.
What role does the Telford Medal play in engineering?
The Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) was founded in 1828, commemorated by the original medal bearing the image of Thomas Telford. He was its first president. When Telford died in 1834, he left the ICE £2,000, an immense sum at the time. The interest was to be used to reward outstanding achievements in the field of civil engineering. The ICE has been awarding the Telford Medal since 1836. Its recipients include Isambard Kingdom Brunel, builder of the Thames Tunnel and the Great Western, and Karl Wilhelm Siemens, who succeeded in laying the first permanently functional transatlantic telegraph cable.
The Telford Medal was awarded in gold, silver, and bronze. Receiving it in gold is still considered the highest honor in civil engineering today. The inscription on the edge of the medal states that it was awarded to Eric Launcelot Everett in the 1925/6 session. Unfortunately, the internet reveals nothing about his achievements. Engineering is still considered less important than the achievements of painters, poets, or composers. For this reason, its history is much less well researched.
What is a Telford Medal worth?
Large, heavy, perfectly preserved gold medals are currently experiencing a boom on the market. Heidelberger Münzhandlung has valued the piece at €25,000. We are curious to see whether it will fetch this price.
The catalog for the Heidelberger Münzhandlung auction, which will take place from November 11 to 12, 2025, can be found at Sixbid. Click here to go to the overview page for all auctions. This link will take you directly to the lot we are presenting.
Text and images: Ursula Kampmann
