This centenary medal was struck by Spink in 1919, to commemorate Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles’ signing the treaty that allowed the British East India Company to set up a trading post in Singapore. The day’s celebrations included the Straits Settlements Governor Arthur Young unveiling a commemoration tablet on the plinth of the Raffles statue, newly relocated from the Esplanade to the Victoria Memorial Hall. This medal was struck following the celebrations as a keepsake.The obverse face of the medal features Raffles’ profile in low relief, his name and the occasion for which the medal was struck. The reverse face of the medal features a statant lion under a coconut palm in low relief, imagery which was later adopted as the coat of arms of the city of Singapore. This may be a reference to the story of Sang Nila Utama sighting a singa (here interpreted as a lion) upon landing on the island of Temasek. This emblem was also used in other instances, such as in the badge of the Singapore Volunteer Corps and by the Singapore Municipal Commission from 1913. The President of the Municipal Commissioners of the time, William Peel, chaired the Centenary Day Committee which planned the day’s events.
