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  The history of British army medals is rich and fascinating. Medals, ribbons and awards presented for feats of bravery or noteworthy achievements during warfare were a reflection not only of the courage, character and skills of the person being presented with them, but they also demonstrated the power and prestige of the monarch who reigned over the army in question. Other military medals commemorated battles or military events that took place during a longer war with scenes depicted on one side from action on land, at sea or in the air. They were, and still are highly sought-after by...

The 18th Century in England saw many changes and advancements. Queen Anne oversaw the joining of England and Scotland to become the United Kingdom of Great Britain. The country lived under its first German-speaking King and survived not one but two separate Jacobite uprisings. Explorers became renowned for their first ever expeditions to faraway locations like Africa, New Zealand and the South Pacific. Science took huge leaps forward too, with ‘firsts’ in the fields of astronomy, surgery and reducing the impact of transmissible diseases, among others. Many engineering feats, sporting events and cultural arrivals also helped to shape and advance...

  English monarch, Charles I is probably most famous for the way in which his reign ended. He was executed by beheading in 1649 after being defeated in the English Civil War by Oliver Cromwell and his followers. After his death, England became a Republic when Cromwell took over the reins under the self-appointed title of Lord Protector. However, England’s foray into Republicanism did not last long. Oliver Cromwell died from an infection just nine years later. His son, Richard ruled for two years, however the monarchy was restored in 1660 when Charles I’s son, Charles II took back the...

Numismatics is the official term for the study of currency. That is, coins, medals, medallions, paper money, tokens and more. Many numismatists collect rare and interesting examples of coins or medals as a hobby or business. Here are seven things you never knew about numismatists and the studying and collecting of coins, medals, memorabilia and money.   Why is collecting coins known as numismatics? The use of the term ‘numismatist’ to refer to a coin collector name, or ‘old coin expert’ first appeared in the early Nineteenth Century. It comes from the late Latin word ‘numismatis’, which is a derivative...

Roald Engelbregt Gravning Amundsen was born in 1872 near Oslo. He was a Norwegian explorer, famed for being the first man to reach the South Pole in December 1911. He beat British fellow explorer, Captain Robert Scott and his team, by 35 days. His team comprised five men, 52 dogs and four sleds. There was no modern-day technology or equipment to help them, making the achievement of exactly one hundred and ten years ago even more noteworthy. Read on to find out some more Roald Amundsen facts.   Pole position The expedition team took almost two months to reach the...