Obverse: The arms of the city, a cornucopia below, supported by two female figures, one (left) looking upwards, the other (right) facing, a pair of scales in her right and a scroll in her left hand. Reverse: Inscription: 'Testimonial to Captain Crichton, Low and Stouffer of the ships Three Bells, Kilby and Antarctic from the corporation of the city of Philadelphia for their gallantry in rescuing the passengers from the wreck of the steamer San Francisco January 1854'.

The 'San Francisco' was a new American paddle steamer chartered to carry troops from New York to San Francisco in January 1854. On the night of the 23-24th she was caught in a gale, disabled and sprang a leak. After 14 days during which about 300 passengers were washed overboard or died of injury, exposure or disease, the vessel was sighted on the 28th by the American bark 'Kilby' en route from New Orleans to Boston. She took off 100 survivors. Two days later the 'Three Bells' of Glasgow appeared and when the weather improved removed 180-200 passengers and set sail for New York. The American vessel 'Antarctic' evacuated the remaining survivors including the master.

Robert Crighton (1821-1882) was born in Port Glasgow, was master of the 'Three Bells' 1850 of Glasgow. In 1854 he was awarded the City of Philadelphia Medal for Gallantry for his part in rescuing some of the passengers of the 'San Francisco' which foundered in the North Atlantic. Crighton was also awarded a silver tea set, a cash grant and was given the freedom of the City of New York.

He was awarded a master's certificate in 1851. In the 1861 census he is resident in Govan, married to Jane Thomson and acting as a ship broker. By the 1871 the family now including eight children is resident in Rock Ferry, Birkenhead and is described as a master mariner. Jane seems to have accompanied him to sea, as a son - John Thomson Crighton was born at Bombay in 1857. He died in Antwerp in 1882.