1898 AD., Great Britain, London Gigantic Wheel, Bronze Medal.

Great Britain, Ferris wheel medal, 1898 AD.,
Bronze Medal (32 mm / 10,29 g),
Obv.: GIGANTIC WHEEL - EARLS COURT / 1898 / H. GRUEBER & C. LONDON.VI.C. , depiction of the gigantic wheel.
Rev.: THE / GIGANTIC WHEEL / AT EARLS COURT IS / 284 FEET IN DIAMETER / & WEIGHTS ABOUT 900 TONS. / THERE ARE 40 CARS, EACH / TI CARRY 30 PERSONS. / FROM THE TOP OF THE / WHEEL ABOUT 300 FEET / WINDSOR CASTLE IS / VISIBLE ON THE / WEST , in 12 lines.
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The originator was George Washington Gate Ferris (hence the name Ferris wheel). He was an engineering student at Reseelar Polytechnic in America and received a degree in Civil Engineering in June 1881. He established a successful bridge and construction company and 12 years later became one of a group of engineers asked to come up with some spectacular edifice for the Chicago Columbian Exhibition to rival the Eiffel tower at the 1889 Paris Exposition. Ferris came up with the idea of a big wheel.
The first of these wheels was also to be higher than the tallest building in Chicago. Ferris had a bright young partner, William F. Gronau and a dedicated work crew and the wheel was designed, built and ready to operate by 21 May 1883.
A British engineer wrote to Ferris asking for his help in designing a wheel in England in 1893. Ferris declined, but within a year the big wheel started to take shape at Earl's Court. This was a project of the Gigantic Wheel and Recreation Towers Company Ltd. A retired US Navy Lieutenant James W. Graydon applied and received 2 British patents in 1893-94. The first described embellishment which became part of the Earl's Court Wheel, e.g. recreation rooms at the top of the towers and lifts leading to them. You can see these on the pictures. The detail design of the Earl's Court Wheel was made by J. J. Webster based on H. Cecil Booth's general design. This in turn was based on photographs of the original Ferris wheel. Ten of the 40 cars were furnished with easy chairs and settees for first-class passengers who paid twice the general fare and half of these were reserved for non-smokers. Construction was under the charge of W. B. Bassett, who went on, to construct the Paris Wheel and the famous wheels at Blackpool and Vienna.
The wheel was in operation from 1895 until October 1906. So much interest was shown in it that before the actual opening day a royal party, headed by the Duke and Duchess of York (later George V and Queen Mary) insisted on being allowed to sample the ride. Power was furnished by 2 x 16 horsepower Robey engines. It had one recorded major breakdown. In May 1896 it suddenly stopped at about nine o'clock in the evening. Most of the passengers were forced to spend the night aboard. During this time seamen from a docked ship climbed round the wheel taking food and drink and reassuring passengers. At midnight the band of the Grenadier guards was brought in to provide music. Release came at seven o'clock the next morning. When passengers were finally brought down to ground they were compensated for their ordeal by being presented with a £5 note. This caused a new publicity for the wheel - everybody hoped it would get stuck again while they were on it.
Medals were issued for each year the wheel was in existence in different metals - some bronze and some white metal. The obverse had a picture of the wheel and the reverse gives details, like on this one. During the period the wheel was in operation 2.5 million passengers paid their one or two shillings for a 35 minute ride.