About Commemorative Medal for the Restoration of Wat Phra Si Rattana Satsadaram, Reign of King 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
The commemorative medal for the restoration of Wat Phra Si Rattana Satsadaram, called by many collectors the Wat Phra Kaew Centennial Medal, is a commemorative medal made on the occasion of the celebration of the city's one-hundredth anniversary.
King Chulalongkorn (Rama V) graciously commanded that Wat Phra Si Rattana Satsadaram be restored, and that a celebration be held together with the commemoration of the capital city. He therefore commanded that this medal be made, to be bestowed upon those who helped with the event. The medal has a diameter of 71 mm, making it the largest medal of the reign of King Rama V.
Note: This medal has been counterfeited extensively. The counterfeit dies have been retouched so that the lettering and the royal portrait have deeper lines than the genuine piece, giving a stiff, hard appearance. The genuine medal looks more flowing and natural.
The copper examples of the genuine medal often show cracks along the rim, which probably date from the time of striking, and the edges of the medals also differ from one another. Please observe this in the enlarged photographs.
Design
- Obverse
- A half-length royal portrait of King Chulalongkorn (Rama V), facing the left side of the medal. His Majesty wears civil dress (the style known as the "yan shirt") and the sashes of the Most Exalted Order of the White Elephant and the Most Illustrious Order of the Nine Gems (Noppharat Ratchawaraphon), together with the collar chain of the Most Illustrious Order of the Chakri Dynasty (upper chain), below which are the Chula Chom Klao chain and the insignia of the Order of the Crown of Thailand. Around the rim is the royal title: "สมเด็จพระปรมินทรมหาจุฬาลงกรณ์ บดินทรเทพมหามงกุฎ บุรุษรัตนราชวิวงษ์ วรุตมพงษ์บริบัตร วรขัติราชบิโรดม จาตุรันตบรมมหาจักรพรรดิราชสังกาศ บรมธรรมิกมหาราช บรมนารถบพิตร พระจุลจอมเกล้าเจ้าอยู่หัว" (the full royal style and title of King Chulalongkorn).
- Reverse
- An image of Wat Phra Si Rattana Satsadaram viewed from the east side. Below is the text "การฉลองวัดพระศรีรัตนศาสดาราม จุลศักราช ๑๒๔๔" (The Celebration of Wat Phra Si Rattana Satsadaram, Chula Sakarat [C.S.] 1244). Around the rim is the text "เป็นที่รฤกในการที่ทรงพระกรุณาโปรดเกล้าฯ ให้สมเด็จพระเจ้าน้องยาเธอและพระเจ้าน้องยาเธอปฏิสังขรณ์วัดพระศรีรัตนศาสดาราม" (In remembrance of the royal graciousness in commanding the King's royal younger brothers to restore Wat Phra Si Rattana Satsadaram), "ซึ่งชำรุดปฏิสังขรณ์มาช้านาน ตั้งแต่วันที่ ๓ฯ๑ ๒ ค่ำปีเถาะ เอกศก ๑๒ ถึงวัน ๓ฯ๑๖ ค่ำ ปีมะเมีย จัตวาศก๑๕ แล้วเสร็จบริบูรณ์" (which had long fallen into disrepair, from the 2nd day of the waxing moon, Year of the Rabbit, first year of the decade, [C.S.] 12[41], to the 16th day of the waxing moon, Year of the Horse, fourth year of the decade, [C.S.] 15[44], and was completed in full).
