China. Chinese Junk Keying. White Metal Medal, 1848. By Halliday. 45mm. Rare.
 
This medal was struck in at the Birmingham Mint, engraved by Thomas Halliday and published by Allen & Moore. Issued to commemorate the first Chinese Junk to sail from China to England. The Keying Junk was an 800-ton, three-masted Foochow Chinese Trading Junk which sailed from Hong Kong in 1846 around the Cape of Good Hope, to New York and Boston in the United States and then finally to Britain in 1848 after 477 days at sale.
 
Obv: Port broadside view of the Junk, THE CHINESE JUNK "KEYING" above, EXTREME BREADTH 35 FEET / BURDEN 750 TONS / DEPTH OF HOLD 16 FEET below in exergue. Rev: THIS REMARKABLE / VESSEL IS A JUNK OF THE / LARGEST CLASS, AND IS THE / FIRST SHIP CONSTRUCTED BY THE / CHINESE WHICH HAS REACHED EUROPE, / OR EVEN ROUNDED THE CAPE / OF GOOD HOPE. / THIS JUNK WAS PURCHASED / AUGUST 1846, AT CANTON, BY A FEW / ENTERPRISING ENGLISHMEN. / SHE SAILED FROM HONG KONG 6TH / DECEMBER 1846 ROUNDED THE / CAPE 31ST MARCH 1847 ARRIVED / IN ENGLAND 27TH MARCH, / 1848.
 Reference: BHM: 2318.
 
Cf: For similar sold examples, please see: Stephen Album Rare Coins, Auction 44 (Sept 2022), hammer $2200; a PCGS graded as specimen example, Stacks Bowers Auction (Sept 2021), hammer $5040.
 
A very attractive piece with much original lustre and shining fields when angled to light - this a scarcely encountered feature, light areas of wear and surface marks. In very nice state of preservation.