Great Britain Historical Medals

Lot 2692    SESSION 8 (2.30pm Wednesday)    Great Britain Historical Medals

Estimate $1,600
Bid at live.noble.com.au

MARY II, (1688-1694) Large silver medal struck upon the death of Queen Mary 1694, Diam. 60mm. Edge plain. Obverse, bust of Mary II facing right (wearing tiara with hair bound by strings of pearls) by I. Boskam (Jan Boskam). Reverse, a monument of three gradations, decorated with a detailed scene representing the royal funeral procession. Seated above are the three fates: Clotho presides over Mary's birth, Lachesis with a spindle twists her threads of life, and Atropos with scissors cuts the thread in two when her life has run its course. The legend above is: VNICA DIGNO DEO (`Worthy alone of God') and in small letters below: VIVIT. POST. FVNERA. VIRTVS. MDCXCV (`Virtue survives the tomb,) The date of 1695 is based on the old calendar. This is a wonderfully well preserved and very rare medal with a deep blue/grey patination. One is accustomed to seeing the conjoined busts of William (III) and Mary (II) as joint monarchs, and a large silver piece such as this is difficult to obtain. This medal is much rarer than the coins of this celebrated monarch. (MI p. 114, No. 349, Eimer -). Toned, extremely fine or better.

Mary II died quickly and unexpectedly at the relatively young age of 32, at the very end of 1694. In mid-December 1694 she fell ill, and distict characteristics of smallpox were diagnosed. Within days her death was announced to a shocked nation. Burnet said `Never was such a face of universal sorrow seen in a court or in a town. All people, men and women, young and old could scarce refrain from tears.' William III, devoted husband of Mary, continued alone as monarch until his death in 1702 following a serious fall from his horse. From the time that Mary's illness accelerated, the King hardly ever left her bedchamber, and after her death, he was apparently so overcome with grief that he would often collapse. For some weeks he was unable to attend to the affairs of state and did not venture into public places.