Royal Society, The Copley Medal, in gold, after J.S. Tanner, Pallas seated with symbols of learning, embracing Nature and holding wreath in her outstretched hand, die-struck naming in exergue a. russell wallace, f.r.s. / 30 nov: 1908, rev., helmeted and supported arms, motto nullus in verba. on scroll below, edge plain, 31.62g, 43mm (Eimer 540), mint state, in fitted case of issue Awarded to Wallace On the ground of the great value of his numerous contributions to natural history, and of the part he took in working out the theory of the origin of species by natural selection. As was customary, an example of the medal in silver was presented to Wallace together with the gold striking (see following lot). Well aware that the Copley Medal was (and remains) the Royal Societys oldest and most prestigious award, Wallace wrote following his nomination: Your very kind letter came upon me like a thunderbolt, for, of course, I had not the least expectation of any further honour, of which, indeed, I felt had already had more than my share. I have always felt myself to be a mere amateur an outsider in the ranks of science and, what is more, a great heretic on many subjects, which renders it the more extraordinary, and, of course, the more gratifying, that the greatest of all scientific societies should so pile its honours upon me. The gold and silver medals arrived on 2 December 1908, prompting Wallace to write: the older medals are all much finer works of art than the newer ones, and the Copley is very fine though I expected to see old Copleys head on it. By the same post, as it happens, he learned to his relief that he would not be required to attend personally his Investiture as a Member of the Order of Merit (see following lot).

Estimate: GBP 4000-6000