This set of three medals was awarded by the Chilean government to the Chilean pilot, Luis Pardo, who rescued Shackleton and his men from their doomed expedition at great risk to himself.Only three of the gold medals are said to have been awarded, the other two being to Shackleton himself and to Frank Wild, Shackleton's second-in-command. Shackleton's medal has been lost, andthe whereabouts of Wild's medal are unknown, which makes this gold medal the only one known to exist today.

Pilot Pardo was later offered a large monetary reward by the British government, but humbly turned it down, saying he was only doing his duty. Today this set belongs to a renowned Chileancollector residing in Santiago.

To read the earlier E-Sylum articles, see:
ANTARCTIC EXPLORER'S MEDAL OFFERED (www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v19n49a24.html)
SOUTH GEORGIA SHACKLETON EXPEDITION COIN (www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v19n50a24.html)