Medal Commemorating the Capture of Portobello

The War of Jenkins' Ear pitted Great Britain against the Spanish Empire between 1739 and 1748 over territories in the Caribbean, and it was in this context that the capture of Portobello took place. Portobello was a small settlement in Panama that was one of the main targets for the English, along with La Guaira in Venezuela and Cartagena de Indias in Colombia. Vernon bombarded and destroyed the city easily, due to the small numbers of Spanish troops defending it.

This coin is part of a series produced to commemorate the victory over this stronghold. On the obverse is a bust of Admiral Vernon in profile, encircled by an inscription in English that reads: "ADMIRAL . VERNON . TOOK . PORTO . BELLO."

On the back, the English fleet is shown entering the port of the Spanish-American city, encircled by an inscription in English that reads: "WITH . SIX . SHIPS . ONLY NOV . 22 . 1739.''