Charlotte Medal

The Charlotte Medal is a silver medallion 74 millimetres (2.9 in) wide, depicting the voyage of the Charlotte, with the First Fleet, to Botany Bay, Australia. Its obverse depicts a scene of the ship and its reverse is inscribed with a description of the journey. The medal is said to be the first work of Australian colonial art.

During the journey the Charlotte visited Rio de Janeiro. Whilst at anchor, one of the ship's convicts, a forger and mutineer by the name of Thomas Barrett was caught giving locals fake coins made from buckles, buttons and spoons. The Surgeon-general of the Fleet, John White was impressed with his skill in making these forgeries, without having the apparent means to do so. This led him to commission Barrett to make the medal, to commemorate the journey, possibly from the surgeon's silver kidney dish. It is created in the style of a Touch piece.

The obverse of the medal depicts the Charlotte at anchor at night in Botany Bay. The inscription reads

The Charlotte at anchor in Botany Bay Jan'y ^th.20.1788

The reverse of the medal is inscribed with a journal of the voyage. It reads

Sailed the Charlotte of London from Spit head the 13 of May 1787. Bound for Botany Bay in th Island of new holland arriv,d at Teneriff ^th4 of June in Lat 28 13 N Long 16 23 W depart,d it 10 D', arriv,d at rio janeiro 6 of Aug in Lat 22,54 S Long 42,38 W, depart,d it the 5 of Sep' arriv,d at the Cape of good hope the 14 Oct' in Lat 34 29 S Long 18 29 E depart,d it ^th13 of Nov' and made the South Cape of New Holland the 8 of Jan 4 1788 in Lat 43,32 S Long 146,56 E arrivd at Botany Bay the 20 of Jun' the Charlotte in C^o in Lat 34.00 South Long 151.00 East distance from great Britan Miles 13106

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