About "Lak Chaeo" Medal, Prototype in Tin, Only Two Pieces Known! King Chulalongkorn (Rama V)
Compiled from partner sources; under review and editing by our team.
Translated from Thai by AI and not yet reviewed by our team. Names and royal titles may need correction.
History
It has been a belief among people since ancient times that reproducing one's likeness on any object will shorten that person's life. This belief persisted among the elders of our society within the last hundred years, who held that being photographed would result in a shortened lifespan.
King Chulalongkorn (Rama V), the Piya Maharaj, was a monarch of great ability in all royal duties and a truly brilliant sovereign. His long reign (1868–1910, B.E. 2411–2453) may truly be called "an Age of Reform or an Age of Modernization."
The King cast off this ancient belief entirely. He had first commanded the making of a commemorative medal bearing his royal monogram "ส.พ.ป.ม.จ. ๕" as a royal memento of his birthday celebration in 1870 (B.E. 2413), the second year of his reign, regarded as the first commemorative medal. Then in 1871 (B.E. 2414),
on the occasion of the celebration of his 18th birthday, another major event, Dr. Bradley recorded on 2 September 1871 (B.E. 2414): "Celebration of the 18th birthday, with lamps lit and great entertainments." On this occasion the King commanded that another commemorative medal be made, the second one. This time the King's portrait appeared for the first time in the history of fully realized medal-making that year. This would lead, five years later, to Thailand's first circulating coin bearing the royal portrait on its obverse, the portrait coin of 1876 (B.E. 2419).
The medal shown here is a prototype in tin. It differs from the ordinary medal in that the reverse lacks the inscription "การเฉลิมพระชนม์พรรษาปีมแมตรีศก๓ จุลศักราช๑๒๓๓ เปนปีที่๓ ในรัชกาลปัตจุบันนี้" (The celebration of His Majesty's birthday, Year of the Horse, third year of the decade, C.S. 1233, the third year of the present reign). It is presumed to have been ordered to be submitted to the King for his consideration, and once it had passed the various stages, the medals were produced to be bestowed at the royal birthday ceremony.
Medals of this type in tin that do carry the reverse inscription are also occasionally seen, but the details of the striking are usually not very clear.
It is presumed to be a trial piece used to adjust the dies before actual production.
The royal photograph used as the model for engraving the Lak Chaeo medal is presumed to have been taken when the King was about 17 to 18 years old.
Design
- Obverse
- Half-length portrait of King Chulalongkorn (Rama V) facing left. The King's hair is cut in the "Mahatthai" or "Lak Chaeo" (oar-post) style. He wears a yantra jacket (เสื้อยันต์) and royal decorations. Around the rim is the inscription "สมเด็จพระปรมินทร มหาจุฬาลงกรณ์บดินทร เทพยมหามงกุฎ พระเจ้ากรุงสยามที่๕" (Somdet Phra Paramintara Maha Chulalongkorn Bodindra Thepphayamahamongkut, King of Siam, the Fifth).
- Reverse
- An inscription runs around the inner circle: "การเฉลิมพระชนม์พรรษาปีีมแมตรีีศก ๓ จุลศักราช ๑๒๓๓ เป็นปีที่ ๓ ในรัชกาลปัตจุบันนี้" (The celebration of His Majesty's birthday, Year of the Horse, third year of the decade, Chula Sakarat [C.S.] 1233, being the third year of the present reign).
