TWO gold medals awarded to William Bligh of Mutiny on the Bounty fame are to be offered for sale at auction by his descendants this month.In what is one of the most significant offerings of maritime history in recent years, the medals together have been given an estimated catalogue price of $250,000 but could fetch significantly more.

The first medal was awarded in 1794 by the Royal Society for Bligh's work relating to breadfruit, which had been discovered in Tahiti.

The botanist Sir Joseph Banks wanted to transplant the crop to the West Indies as food for slaves.

he second medal, estimated to be worth $200,000, is slightly smaller and is the Naval Gold Medal 1795, awarded to ship captains.

Bligh won it for his role at the Battle of Camperdown, an important naval action on October 11, 1797, between the Royal Navy fleet and the Dutch navy, in which the British captured 11 Dutch ships without loss of any of their own.

The medals are included in the Noble Numismatics auction on July 26-28 at Melbourne's Dallas Brooks Centre.

To read the complete article, see:Bligh's medals tipped to fetch $250,000(www.theage.com.au/national/blighs-medals-tipped-to-fetch-250000-20110709-1h7zs.html)

To read the complete article, see:Highlights of our important July auction(www.noble.com.au/auctions/article?id=26)