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Correspondence regarding possible publications to commemorate the Royal Asiatic Society's sesquicentenary. These are:

• Correspondence concerning a possible donation from Sir John Galvin towards a publication to commemorate the Society's sesquicentenary. These include correspondence with Professor Arberry, Harold Bailey, and R.J. Hayes, concerning contacting Galvin; correspondence with John Galvin himself; and correspondence with W.E.D. Allen concerning his influence on Galvin. 11 items, dated 26 May 1966 - 29 April 1971.
• Correspondence with Professor E.G. Turner concerning the possibility of the Union Academique Internationale being involved in publication of a facsimile of the Society's Jami'al-tawarikh manuscript. 7 items, dated 27 July 1971 - 7 October 1971.
• Correspondence with Professor David Talbot Rice to ask whether he would be involved in the publications of the Rashid al-Din manuscript. 3 items, dated 4 October 1971- 19 March 1972. Correspondence between B.W. Robinson and Charles Beckingham concerning his chapter for "The Royal Asiatic Society: Its History and Treasures" on the history of the Society. 6 items, dated 12 January 1972 - 5 June 1972.
• Correspondence concerning the article by C.E.J. Whitting on Sir Richard Burton for "The Royal Asiatic Society: Its History and Treasures". 5 items, dated 5 June 1972 - 27 July 1972.
• Letter to Douglas Barrett concerning contributing an article on the Society's boundary stone from Java for the "The Royal Asiatic Society: Its History and Treasures", dated 9 November 1972.
• Correspondence concerning the administration and editing of "The Royal Asiatic Society: Its History and Treasures". 4 items, dated 18 August 1972 - 13 November 1972.
• Letter from A.D.H. Bivar to Diana Crawford, Secretary, Royal Asiatic Society, concerning a donation toward the preparation of a Numismatic Index to the Society's Journal, dated 21 October 1972.
• Letter from B.W. Robinson to Professor H.L. Shorto to ask if he would include an article concerning the Royal Asiatic Society's sesquicentenary in the Bulletin for SOAS, dated 5 May 1972.

The Royal Asiatic Society Medal was instigated in 2000 to replace the Society's Triennial Gold Medal and to be awarded in recognition of an outstanding contribution to scholarship in the field of Asian Studies. A new design for the Medal was sought and this was commissioned from Danuta Solowiej-Wedderburn. The medal took longstanding symbols of the Society and gave them a modern twist. She suggested:

'The starting point for the design of the medal was an article by John Hansman in the Society's Journal of 1984: ‘The Emblems, Medals and Medallists of The Royal Asiatic Society’. I was very inspired by the Daniells’ design of a caparisoned elephant for a signet, first produced in 1824, which was used to seal letters and documents. A simplified version of this design by Professor Perceval Yetts has become the ‘logo’ of the society, stamped on its letter head and on all its publications, and so it was a particularly appropriate image to use. I depicted the signet impressed into the brass as if it were wax, to act as a metaphor for the medal as a ‘seal of approval’. Unlike most Victorian award medals the lettering is incised, this is so that it will blend in with the name of the recipient, which obviously has to be engraved at a later date. In 1823 the Banyan tree was chosen for the society’s official seal by the Council and it has been depicted on previous medals commissioned by the society. It is a magnificent tree and an apt symbol of the society, growing strong and branching out. The medal was cast (rather than struck) which allows for more depth in modelling and I tried to take advantage of that by depicting the tree as a mature and vigorous plant, still growing strongly.' (Email, see details in the catalogue).

The medal was first awarded to John Gullick in 2001 with subsequent awards being made:
2003 – Professor Edmund Bosworth
2006 – Professor Christopher Shackle
2009 – Professor Sir Christopher Bayly
2014 – Dr Bridget Allchin and Professor David Bivar
2019 - Professors Carole and Robert Hillenbrand
2023 – Robert Irwin

The material covered by this catalogue consists of correspondence and administrative documents concerning the setting up of the award and the commissioning of the medal, and the individual awards. There are also photographs of some of the award events and a sample of the medal.

The Royal Asiatic Medal was given to both Bridget Allchin and A.D.H. (David) Bivar in 2014. The archival material consists of :

• Publicity poster for the award ceremony for Bridget Allchin held on 13 March 2014 (this is held electronically).
• Four digital photographs of the award ceremony to David Bivar held on 10 October 2014.

Material for general or limited engagement with the archival collections. These are:

• Correspondence concerning the Papers of John Hansman and David Stronach. Two letters between Michael Pollcok, Royal Asiatic Society Librarian and John Hansman concerning a suitcase of material left by Hansman at the Society. Typed, 2 pieces, dated 28 November 1996-14 January 1997. Further correspondence between Nancy Charley, Royal Asiatic Society Archivist and John Hansman concerning the same material. Two electronic documents, dated 6 February 2018 -14 December 2018. (Archival documents made in 2025).
• Papers of Sir Aurel Stein - Letter from Helen Wang, British Museum to Michael Pollock, Royal Asiatic Society Librarian to send him a copt of the Society's entry into the Handbook to the Stein Collections in the UK. The copy is with the letter. Typed, 2 pieces, dated 14 August 1998. A further letter from A.D.H. Bivar to the Librarian, Royal Asiatic Society requesting a photographic copy of the portrait of Sir Aurel Stein. Typed, 1 piece, dated 16 January 2004.
• List of bound archives - list of minute books and other bound historic archival material. Electronic document, created in 2001; archival document created in 2025.
• Papers of William Claxton Peppé - Correspondence and the draft of a talk concerning the items in these papers and their discovery. Typed, 11 pieces, dated 2003.
• Papers of Brian Houghton Hodgson - An article from the Kantipur Daily, 14 November 2007 concerning some of the discoveries made by Dr Ramesh Dhungal on his initial listing of the Hodgson Papers; an article,'Hodgson's Legacy' which includes brief details of the collections at the Royal Asiatic Society. Typed and scanned, 6 pieces.
• 'Tackling Highly Original Order' by Nancy Charley, Royal Asiatic Society Archivist. concerning the initial sorting of the archival collections. Published in ARC magazine, Archives and Records Association, October 2015.
• 'Opium, Silk and the Missionaries in China' - exhibition brochure for exhibition at the Brunei Gallery, School of Oriental and African Studies, London, 2021 in which the letter from Thomas Weeding (East India Company Agent and Independent Merchant) to Captain Harkness, Secretary to Royal Asiatic Society, concerning the gift of the "Grand Chop" or clearance document for the Sarah, the first ship to arrive in England directly from China after the East India Company relinquished its commercial character. was exhibited.

"A Sasanian Repository at Shahr-i Qumis" by John Hansman and David Stronach. Draft of the article that was published in the Journal of Royal Asiatic Society, 1970. Also with this article is a draft of the Appendix "The Sasanian Coin from Qumis" written by A.D.H. Bivar.

Material concerned with the Sesquicentenary Reception held on 19 February 1972 with Her Majesty the Queen and HRH The Duke of Edinburgh in attendance.

This series contains administrative correspondence and notices including correspondence with candidates. There are examples of the pseudonym mottoes and verification required by the Society, and a copy of the Prize Essay.

This consists of administrative correspondence with candidates and examiners, and notices of the competition.

Letter from Dr. A.D.H. Bivar to Miss D. Crawford, RAS Secretary, to give his report on the essays submitted and his recommendation for the winner. Typed with printed letterhead, 1 side, dated 28 October 1971. With this letter is a handwritten note from Professor Simmonds giving his ranking to the essays.

Letter from A.D.H. Bivar to C.F. Beckingham enthusing about the proposed award.