Awarded to Jack Cotton
Patron to the Zoological Society of London

CNG 103, Lot: 1255. Estimate $30000. Sold for $27500. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

temp. WINDSOR. AV Medal (77mm, 231.5 g, 12h). Zoological Society of London – Prize Medal. By B. Wyon, after T. Landseer. Dated 1826. Presented to Jack Cotton, 1963. Twelve birds of various species standing or in flight; in exergue, ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY/ OF LONDON/ 1826; hallmarks below: JP (John Pinches), 9 (9 kt), 375 (.375 fineness), h (mark for 1963), and facing leopard’s head (London assay office mark) / Elephant wrapping tusk around tree, two giraffes, Zebu bull, and rhinoceros; two llamas in background. Edge engraved: JACK COTTON. FOR CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE REBUILDING OF THE ZOOLOGICAL GARDENS, REGENTS PARK. 1963. Eimer 1187; BHM 1272. FDC. Struck in .375 fine gold. In original case of issue. Extremely rare – five in gold noted in the 1957 List of Fellows of the Zoological Society of London, this sixth example presented since.

This medal was awarded to Jack Cotton (1903-1964), a wealthy Jewish property developer who made his fortune in the real estate boom that followed the Second World War. Cotton financed the reconstruction of the zoological gardens in Regents Park and the Cotton Terraces were named in his honor.