Lot 313
AN ENGRAVED JACOBITE TOKEN
Scottish Works of Art & Whisky
Auction: 16 August 2023 at 11:00 BST
Description
a James II 1688 half-crown with engraved rose and bud to obverse
Dimensions
32mm diameter, 14g
Provenance
Provenance:
Property of a Gentleman – Previously from the collection of Sir Colin MacRae (1869-1952) of Feorlinn and Lady Margaret Crichton Stuart (1875-1964)
Footnote
Reference:
Host coin ‘Coins of England & the United Kingdom’ Spink, S.3408
Note:
The engraving of currency issue coins to commemorate important events, and create love tokens or good luck symbols is well recorded. The use of a host coin which has a meaning/importance is also often very apparent, a date of anniversary or foreign coin commemorating a journey or battle etc.
A 1688 James II crown is an obvious choice for a Jacobite supporter. This coin, the largest silver denomination of the period, with its large bust of King James II listing all his divinely granted royal titles and kingdoms, would have been very obvious. And of course, in the year that he and the Stuart line were deposed would have had extra poignancy.
The engraved rose and bud show close comparisons to the engraved glasses that become synonymous with the Jacobite cause, these motifs shown, therefore are particularly poignant as depicted with the last Stuart King deposed in 1688, they would later promote the right to the Stuart monarchy.