The foundation of Virginia living museum Colonial Williamsburg has acquired a rare Danish bronze medal commemorating the abolition of slavery in Denmark in 1792.
The new law was brought in by Crown Prince Frederik VI, making Denmark the first European nation to put an end to the bloody trade.
Danish artist Nicolai Abilgaard designed this medal
While Denmark was one of the smaller players, accounting for around 100,000 slaves overall during the late 1700s (2% of the global figure), its decision influenced policy makers in other nations.
However, the legislation would not properly take effect for another 10 years.
The global tipping point came in 1833, when Britain – home to the largest European slave market – finally outlawed the trade.
The design is by acclaimed Danish artist Nicolai Abildgaard, while the medal was struck by medallist Pietro Leonardo Gianelli.
It was issued in a range of materials, most commonly silver and bronze.
Mitchell B Reiss, CEO of Colonial Williamsburg, said: “The items of Colonial Williamsburg’s collections capture tangibly our complex, shared history.
“In this rare 1792 medal we see an Atlantic power affirming the humanity of a people exploited as property, as well as a foretelling of abolition in America.”
The Foundation has not revealed the sum it paid for the medal, but another specimen (albeit in lesser condition) made $6,000 in a 2006 auction at Stack’s Bowers.
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