Brass or bronze. 22 mm. 7.6 grams. 1540 stamped on the edge. The following is taken from Volume Two of Charlton Press’ reference on Canadian medals:

The Hudson’s Bay Company ordered a steam vessel to be built in England, and the S.S. Beaver was launched in 1835. She arrived at Fort Vancouver in 1836, becoming the first steam vessel in the Pacific Northwest. The Beaver underwent several changes of ownership after being sold by the Hudson’s Bay Company in 1874, and by 1887 she was supplying coastal lumber.

The Beaver hit the rocks off Prospect Point at high tide on 26 July 1888, and could not be refloated. The remains finally sank when disturbed by the wake of the S.S. Yosemite on 26 June 1892. Various individuals salvaged materials from the abandoned wreck while it lay on the rocks. Chief among these was carpenter and contractor Charles W. McCain, who stripped off 1,085 pounds of brass and copper, which he claimed to have converted into medals.

This well-preserved small-size example maintains mint red colour around the devices and glossy golden-brown surfaces overall. Free of abrasions or other flaws.