1888 was the centennial of the beginning of white settlement in 1788. The occasion was met with a flurry of exhibitions, events, and even new parks and buildings. It was testimony to the immense wealth generated the recovery of gold in Victoria that a major exhibition could be held so soon in Melbourne after the International Exhibition of 1880. This wealth and the material itself was also reflected in the top award of the exhibition of which this medal is an example. Silver and bronze medals comprised the main awards, with the much more rare gold medals given to major exhibitors and dignitaries.

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Powerhouse Museum