Specimen of the Baltic Medal 1854-1855

Cast in silver, the Baltic Medal was sanctioned on 23 April 1856 as an award for service in the Baltic during the Crimean War (1854-1856) and was mainly issued to the Royal Navy and Royal Marines. A small number of officers and men of the Royal Engineers and the Royal Sappers and Miners were also entitled to the medal for their work in the demolition of Russian fortifications at Bomarsund and Sveaborg.

The obverse of the medal designed by William Wyon shows the sovereign's head as on the Crimea War Medal. The reverse by Leonard Wyon, depicts Britannia holding a trident in her right hand and looking over her left shoulder; in the background are the fortresses of Bomarsund and Sveaborg, with the word 'BALTIC' above and the dates '1854-1855' below.