News of Nelson

Friday, 21 October 2005, marks the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Trafalgar and the death of Horatio, Admiral Lord Nelson.

News:

BBC: Trafalgar coins mark anniversary---

The Royal Mint is marking the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Trafalgar with two commemorative £5 crowns.

A portrait by James Butler of Nelson in the uniform of a Vice Admiral with the dates 1805 and 2005 features on the reverse of the first coin.

A companion piece designed by Clive Duncan details a battle scene.

The signal sent by Nelson ahead of Trafalgar - "England expects that every man will do his duty" - is inscribed on the edge of the collector's items.

National hero

A series of events are being held this week to mark the bicentenary of Nelson's victory at the Battle of Trafalgar.

BBC: Record price for Trafalgar medal---

A gold medal awarded to Nelson's right hand man Captain Hardy after the Battle of Trafalgar has sold for £248,800.

The lot, part of a sale at Christie's in London held to mark this week's bicentenary of Trafalgar, set a world record price for a medal at auction.

The prototype portrait of Lemuel Francis Abbott's iconic image of Nelson was bought for £164,800 by the Compton Verney Gallery in Warwickshire.

A quill recovered from Nelson's desk on the Victory went for £8,400.

The quill was found after the Battle of Trafalgar beside an unfinished letter to Nelson's mistress Emma Hamilton.

BBC: Trafalgar stamps depict painting---

Six Royal Mail stamps commemorating the bicentenary of Nelson's victory at Trafalgar have gone on sale.

The stamps depict details from a rarely-displayed painting by William Heath showing the 1805 battle.

The two first class stamps show Nelson wounded and the British ships, the cutter Entreprenante and Belleisle, which was left dismasted.

Heath's original watercolour, A Panorama Of The Battle Of Trafalgar, was completed around 1825.

All three articles have pictures of the items. The stamps are exquisite.