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, Admiral Vernon is depicted with one hand outstretched, holding a staff of office, with his sword in his left hand. There is a cannon at his side and a ship behind him. The image is encircled by an inscription in English: "THE . BRITISH . GLORY . REVIV . D. BY . ADMIRAL . VERNON." The entire image is surrounded by a smooth decorative line, creating a groove.

On the back is a view of Portobello with 3 ships anchored in the port, while the British ships enter the bay. The image is encircled by an inscription in English that reads: "WHO TOOK PORTO BELLO WITH SIX SHIPS ONLY." Below the image is the exergue showing the date of coining as: "NOV . 22 . 1739." The entire image is surrounded by a smooth decorative line, creating a groove.