The medal's obverse bears William Morton and Hans Hendrik, dressed in cold-weather gear, standing on desolate, rocky shore with Morton pointing at the open sea.
The reverse is coated with a smooth layer of lead.
In 1845 through 1848 Sir John Franklin led the British North-West Passage Expedition to search for a northern ocean passage around the American continent. Two ships with 129 sailors vanished and their fate remained undetermined years later. The first Grinnell Expedition was launched in 1850 under the command of Edwin de Haven. While they were successful in locating Franklin's first winter camp, they ultimately had to turn around without having fulfilled their mission of dertmining Franklin's fate.
The Second Grinnell Expedition of 1853-1855 was led by Dr. Elisha Kane, who had already been a member of the first Grinnell expedition. The expedition soon became ice-locked and could not continue but they sent out an exploration team consisting of William Morton and Eskimo guide Hans Hendrik. The two traveled by dog sled and reported that they had found open water, the long sought open polar sea.
Three expedition members died during the return trip and Kane himself never fully recovered from the ordeal. He died in 1857 after having traveled to England to deliver his report to Sir John Franklin's widow.
Tiffany & Co. fashioned a gold medal that was awarded to Kane by the State of New York upon the expedition's return. A silver medal and several coppery bronze medals were also struck. The bronze medals are always composed from two halves that are joined by lead solder.
The piece depicted here is the obverse half of one of these medals that was obviously never assembled.
The circular medal (half) measures 80.2mm in diameter and was struck in coppery bronze by Tiffany & Co. of New York. While no mintage is reported, this medal is extremely rare.