United Kingdom. An 1815-1855 Arctic Medal

Instituted January 30, 1857. In silver, an octagonal medal with beaded edge, the obverse with the inscription FOR ARCTIC DISCOVERIES above a large ship surrounded by icebergs and explorers pulling a sled in the foreground with the dates 1815-1855 below, the reverse featuring the left facing portrait of Queen Victoria, surmounted by an eight point star representing the Pole Star, measures 33.4 mm (w) x 49.8 mm (h), worn on original white watered silk ribbon, darker patina on the reverse, having been cleaned some time ago (residue around the letters), contact marks to the obverse, potentially from other medals worn on the breast, a very scarce and very fine decoration. 

Footnote: The Arctic Medal 1815–1855 was a British campaign medal awarded to officers and men of the Royal Navy and certain civilians who took part in Arctic exploration and search expeditions during that period. Struck in silver and bearing the crowned effigy of Queen Victoria, it commemorated service on numerous voyages—most famously the Franklin search missions—as Britain sought both geographic discovery and answers to the disappearance of Sir John Franklin’s 1845 expedition.