The original [[Victoria Cross]] was officially instituted on 29 January 1856 by [[Victoria of the United Kingdom|Queen Victoria]] by [[Royal charter|Royalroyal Warrantwarrant]] and backdated to 1854 to recognise acts of valour committed during the [[Crimean War]].<ref name=Ashcroft7-10>Ashcroft, Michael, pp. 7–10</ref> It was originally intended that the Victoria Crosses would be cast from the [[bronze]] [[wikt:cascabel|cascabels]] of two [[cannon]]s that were captured from the [[Russian Empire|Russians]] at the [[Siege of Sevastopol (1854–1855)|siege of Sevastopol]].<ref>Beharry, Johnson, p. 359</ref><ref name=Navalmuseum/><ref name="vc_manufacture">{{cite web |url=http://www.hancocks-london.com/vc_manufacture.htm| title=Hancocks of London History of VC | publisher=Hancocks of London |access-date= 24 June 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080827184613/http://www.hancocks-london.com/vc_manufacture.htm |archive-date=27 August 2008}}</ref> However, historian John Glanfield has proven, through the use of X-rays of older Victoria Crosses, that the metal used for the Victoria Crosses is in fact made from antique Chinese guns, and not of Russian origin.<ref name=Navalmuseum/><ref name="vc_manufacture" /><ref name=Glanfield>{{Cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1506463/Author-explodes-myth-of-the-gunmetal-VC.html |title=Author explodes myth of the gunmetal VC |last=Davies |first=Catronia |work=[[The Daily Telegraph]] |date=28 December 2005 |access-date=16 June 2007}}</ref>
The barrels of the cannon used to cast the medals are stationed outside the Officers' Mess, at the [[Royal Artillery Barracks]] at [[Woolwich]]. The remaining portion of the only remaining cascabel, weighing 10 kilograms (358 oz), is stored in a vault maintained by 15 Regiment, [[Royal Logistic Corps]] at [[MoD Donnington]], and can be removed only under armed guard. It is estimated that 80 to 85 more Victoria Crosses could be cast from this source. A single company of jewellers, [[Hancocks]] of London, established in 1849, has been responsible for the production of every medal since its inception.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.hancocks-london.com/ | title=Hancocks Jewellers |publisher=Hancocks of London| access-date=16 June 2007}}</ref> Both the Australian and New Zealand Victoria Crosses are made from the same gunmetal as the originals.<ref name=nzgovdept/>
