Society of Arts Medal, Mercury and Minerva 1826

This silver medal featuring Mercury and Minerva was made by William Wyon. Wyon was a celebrated die engraver, who refined the medal-making process. With his refined craftsmanship, this particular medal represents more than its face value. Die engraving involves cutting a design into a metal block, the die, which is then used to strike identical images onto blank metal discs. The incised lines of the die become raised on the medal, giving it a tactile and dimensional quality. Look closely, and you can see the crisp details of Minerva’s helmet and the flowing hair of Mercury, all achieved through Wyon’s mastery of this technique. The choice of silver underscores the medal’s value and permanence. But it also speaks to the social context in which it was made. Medals like this were not just symbols of achievement; they were objects of exchange, representing a complex relationship between labor, skill, and reward. A tangible piece of art, elevated through the mastery of craft.