Obverse Design Legend curving above says "ADMIRAL . VERNON . AND . COMMODRE . BROWN". There is an inside line enclosing the legend. Hip length (1/2 length) figures of Brown on our left and Vernon on our right are facing each other, both holding batons. Brown's head is beneath the . or space between "ADMIRAL" and "VERNON". Vernon's head is beneath the "OM" of "COMMODRE". A line cuts across the bottom of the medal. Under the line is an ornament of a concave (inward curving) shell with a branch of two large leaves on either side. The medal has a plain raised edge.
Reverse Design Legend curving along the top says "HE . TOOK . PORTO . BELLO . WITH . SIX . SHIPS . ONLY .". There is an inside line enclosing the legend. In exergue (under a line along the bottom of the medal) it says: "NOV 22 1739". There is an ornament with three stems below the date. The center is the attack on Portobello. The six ships are lined up two in the top row and four in the bottom row. those below in a curve along the bottom edge. Five ships are sailing to the right, and the rightmost ship in the bottom row is sailing left. No vessels or boats are in the harbor. A steeple points to the first letter "L", a spire at "W" and a tower at "T". There are water lines outside the harbor. The medal has a plain raised edge.
Distinctions There are about 31 similar varieties with Brown and Vernon. Of those, about 27 involve 1/2 length Brown and Vernon's facing each other holding batons. Nine of the 27 have a shell ornament under Brown and Vernon. In five of the nine the shell is concave (the inside is scooped out). Two of the five have the spires or steeples on the first letter "L", "W" and "T". This variety has flags on the mole, and the other similar variety does not.
Detail On Obverse of VN-2.310 Detail On Reverse of VN-2.310
Detail of VN-2.310
Note the concave shell ornament.
Detail of VN-2.310
Note the steeple, spire and tower at the first "L", "W" and "T" respectively. Also note the flags on the mole.
Metal Brass and copper. Weight Unknown. Size and Shape Round, 37 mm in diameter.
Rarity Common. Designer or Issuer Not known. Other Catalog Numbers Betts #264, McCormick-Goodhart #155.
Notes The view from a cannon at Fort San Fernando is shown below. Fort San Fernando was built in 1753 as part of the project of rebuilding the fortifications of Portobello after Admiral Vernon destroyed them in 1739.

View from a Cannon at Fort San Fernando
View from a Cannon at Fort San Fernando
From the Canal Zone Review, Fall 1971 Edition