This Very Rare Medal Has Been Sold. Thank you! British Naval General Service Arctic Medal 1818   One of only 1486 issued Date Instituted: 1857. CAMPAIGN: Polar expeditions 1818-1855. DESCRIPTION of this MEDAL: Octagonal shaped medal bearing the head of Queen Victoria on the obverse with the inscription 'VICTORIA REGINA' while the reverse depicts a three masted ice bound sailing ship within the polar region with a sledge party in the foreground. Above the ship are the words 'FOR ARCTIC DISCOVERIES' while the dates '1818-1855' appear in the exergue below. The suspender takes the form of a polar star with a metal ring attached on top to take the ribbon. Metal: Silver.          Size: 46mm high and 33mm wide.        Clasps: Non authorized for this medal. Ribbon: White. Naming: Issued un-named but many were privately engraved. NAVAL GENERAL SERVICE MEDAL - ARCTIC:   Instituted in 1857, this medal was awarded to some 1,486 recipients who took part in the various polar expeditions between 1818-56. Recipients included civilians, scientists, French and US naval personnel as well as 1,106 members of the Royal Navy.       Obverse of Arctic Medal    Reverse of Arctic Service Medal CONDITION:  The back of the ribbon has been glued to paper board and then to purple cloth, the remnants of which are present. These medals were issued without a hanging device and unnamed. The medal is in fine condition with a few tiny nicks front and back which are not of consequence.  Otherwise the medal is in Very Fine condition showing handeling and has a nice patina of age. The British Arctic Medal is very rare and was unnamed when issued. It was awarded to all officers and men engaged in expeditions to the Polar Regions from 1818 to 1855. This included men involved in the on-going search for the ill-fated Franklin Expedition of 1845-48. The medal  was awarded to civilians, scientists, and personnel of the French and U.S. Navies and employees of The Hudson's Bay Company who took part in a number of abortive search parties for Sir John Franklin and his crew.  Only 1,106 medals out of 1,486 in all were awarded to Officers and ratings of The Royal Navy.   SHIPPING & PACKING: The cost of shipping, packing, handling, and insurance to your destination, must be calculated and is an additional charge. You may email us beforehand to get these costs. We price our shipping honestly, but we expect to be reimbursed for the nominal cost of packaging materials and handling. International buyers welcome, but should inquire first.  We have satisfied customers in Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Canada, Chile, China, Czech Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, Denmark, Estonia, England, France, Germany, Greece, Holland, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kuwait, Latvia, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Martinique, Mexico, New Zealand, Norway, Nova Scotia, Panama, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Scotland, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, USVI and the Eastern Caribbean. OUR UNCONDITIONAL NO NONSENSE GUARANTEE: If not completely satisfied with your purchase it may be returned within five days of receipt in its original packaging if without damage. Return items must be insured for their full value. Only a prior email authorization from us for the return is required. Shipping charges are included in this offer within the continental United States if an error is due to our fault.    ACCEPTED FORMS OF PAYMENT are Bank wire transfer, cashier's check, or personal check in which case the item will be held until cleared. Our prices are quoted net to seller, but credit cards may be accepted through PayPal for verified members by special arrangement. Copyright 2012 by Land And Sea Collection™, All Rights Reserved