Framed "Dead Man's Penny" on Linen (TLI530)

Dimensions: 18"Squ

The Memorial Plaque was issued after the First World War to the next of kin of all British Empire service members who were killed as a result of the conflict.

Cast in bronze, the plaques became known as the “dead man’s penny” or “widow’s penny” because of their resemblance to the much smaller penny coin. A total of 1,355,000 plaques were produced, requiring about 450 tons of bronze, and they continued to be issued into the 1930s to commemorate those who died as a consequence of the war.

The winning design by Edward Preston features Britannia holding a trident and standing beside a lion. His initials, E.R.P., appear above the lion’s front paw. In her outstretched left hand, Britannia holds an olive wreath above a panel displaying the deceased’s name in raised lettering. No rank is included, as this was intended to avoid distinctions between individuals’ sacrifices. Two dolphins flank Britannia, symbolizing Britain’s naval power, and a second lion appears at the bottom of the design.

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