Overview
This medal was one of a number that expedition members handed out to local people in various places during Cook’s second voyage of discovery. Records of the voyage mention that they were distributed to Māori in three different locations in New Zealand when the Resolution and Adventure visited in 1773. This medal is one of at least eleven found here that are known about.
The medal was designed for two purposes. Firstly, it was to record a significant event for people at home – after the success of Cook’s first voyage, there was no reason to assume that the second voyage would be any less notable. Secondly, seafaring European nations were competing internationally to be the ‘discoverers’ of previously unknown lands. As Cook wrote in his journal in July 1772, ‘ ... their lordships also caus’d to be struck a number of Medals ... to be distributed to the Natives of, and left upon New Discoveried countries as testimonies of being the first discoverers.’ (1). Clearly it was felt that the medals could be useful should governments want to claim the right to take possession of ‘discovered’ lands, and the use of any natural resources to be found there.
Creating the medal was the idea of the prominent scientist of the first voyage, Joseph Banks. It was part of his enthusiastic planning for his participation in the second voyage. King George III’s image and titles appear on the obverse (principal) side. This tells us that the monarch approved the purpose of the medal. On the reverse are images of the two expedition ships. The wording records the ships’ planned date of departure – March, 1772. However, because of the delays caused by building, and then unbuilding, the accommodation for Mr Banks’ party, the ships actually left in July – without Mr Banks or his party.
Two thousand medals made of bronze or brass were produced, as well as 106 medals made of silver, and two made of gold. The medals are a tangible link with Cook’s second visit to New Zealand. All of those found in New Zealand have been in the South Island, but in places far from where they were handed out. Perhaps this means that they had their own value to the local people and may have been used for trade?
Reference
(1) Beaglehole, J C. editor. (1961). The Journals of Captain James Cook. vol 2: the voyage of the Resolution and Adventure 1772–1775. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press and the Hakluyt Society. p 16.
Text originally published in Tai Awatea, Te Papa's onfloor multimedia database (1998).