A Boer War Fry's Queen Victoria Christmas/New Years' Gift Tin

Tin, magnetic, gilt with red and blue paint on the lid, gilt body, obverse illustrating the embossed left-facing bust of Queen Victoria, flanked by the crowned Royal cypher at the left, inscribed "SOUTH AFRICA 1900" to the right, the bust cramped versus the border of the medallion, with both the message and the signature (I wish you a happy New Year Victoria R) level in design, distinguishing this as the Fry tin, as opposed to the Rowntree tin, which has a reduced size floating bust of the Queen and an angled message and signature, 93.5 mm x 153.5 mm x 22 mm, hinged lid, scattered contact marks on the red painted field and in the raised blue painted edge on the lid, gilt wear evident on the medallion and on the body of the tin, minor dnting on the bottom, better than fine. Footnote: This commemorative tin originally contained chocolate. It was given to the troops serving in the Boer War as a Christmas/New Years' gift from Queen Victoria. The three major British chocolate manufacturers, Fry, Cadbury and Rowntree, all Quaker owned companies, produced the chocolate tins. Initially they were reluctant to support the war effort because of the Quaker pacifist ethic, but were persuaded to change their minds. The three companies' tins vary slightly in appearance. This Fry's tin was manufactured by Barclay and Fry, while the Rowntree's tin was manufactured by Barringer, Wallis and Manners and the Cadbury's tin was manufactured by Hudson Scott (C:45)