See Our Collection of Royal Medals Ahead of the Coronation

On May 6, King Charles III and Queen Consort Camilla will be crowned in London’s Westminster Abbey. The first coronation since Queen Elizabeth II’s nearly 70 years ago will be filled with traditions and pageantry—royal processions; Buckingham Palace balcony appearances; and, of course, souvenirs. Vendors and stores across the United Kingdom are already hawking plates, tea towels, biscuit tins, tea bags, and pint mugs. This tradition of keepsakes created to mark the occasion spans centuries. One of the earliest collectibles were coronation medals. 

Our collection of more than 1,000 medals features several that commemorate the reigns of kings and queens, from Henry VIII in the 16th century to George IV in the 1800s. They tell stories about the rulers and the drama that surrounded their coronations, from beheadings to banned wives. These medals aren’t on view in our galleries, but here’s an opportunity to explore their history and learn what King Charles’s coronation medal might look like. 

Henry VIII

Our Henry VIII medals aren’t from his coronation—those weren’t being made yet. But the portrait medal was established as an art form in Europe during the Renaissance. Sculptor Hans Schwarz is credited with popularizing the medium in Germany, and we think he made two of these during the king’s infamous reign from 1509 to 1547. Schwarz carved portraits into wood; those carvings were then pressed into wax, and the wax models were in turn used to make metal casts.  

These medals may look like pennies here, but they are around the size of Olympic medals, 2 to 4 inches in diameter. The one dated to 1526 has a reverse side, like a coin. It shows the Tudor family emblem: a portcullis (a heavy grate that protects a gateway) with a crown resting on it. Today, the crowned portcullis is the official emblem of England’s Palace of Westminster and Houses of Parliament. 

The other two medals are undated, but they seem to show an older Henry. Many medals took inspiration from ancient classical coins and showed rulers in profile. But here we see Henry head-on with an intense expression.

Mary I

We also have a medal of Henry VIII’s daughter, Mary Tudor or “Bloody Mary.” Mary was queen only briefly, from 1553 to 1558. Italian medalist and jeweler Jacopo da Trezzo made this medal in 1554 to commemorate the queen’s marriage to Prince Philip of Spain. Da Trezzo began working for the Spanish Habsburg court after visiting for the royal wedding. 

The portrait shows Mary in profile, in an ornate dress. The inscription around the edge of the medal says, in Latin, “Mary, queen of England, France, and defender of the faith.” During her reign, Mary tried to restore the Church of England’s ties to Roman Catholicism. 

The reverse shows Mary as a figure of peace, setting fire to weapons. This symbolic depiction is ironic, given that she was responsible for the death of over 280 people who were burned at the stake for religious dissent.  

Charles I

In 1649, Charles I was charged with treason and sentenced to death. In the final weeks before his beheading, the Bishop of London, William Juxon, was Charles’s spiritual advisor. As a token of thanks, Charles gave Juxon this gold medal made by his official medalist, Nicolas Briot. 

One side shows Charles dressed in elaborate armor complete with lion heads on his shoulders. The other features what is believed to be the Sovereign of the Seas, at the time the largest British warship ever built.

Charles II 

The first coronation medal in our collection was made for Charles II, crowned king of England, Scotland, and Ireland in 1661. His coronation was especially triumphant: he was the first king when the monarchy was restored after England’s time as a republic. Thomas Simon, an English medalist and chief engraver at the Royal Mint, made these medals. They were apparently thrown to the public during coronation events. 

Charles is on both sides of the medal wearing a crown, to assert his divine right to be king. The reverse shows him sitting on a throne holding a scepter and orb. A figure of peace crowns him. His reign brought hope following years of war and conflict.

James II

Flemish medalist Regnier Arondeaux made a coronation medal for King James II, who took the throne in April 1685 after the death of Charles II, his brother. The medal shows a bust of James in profile, with long curling locks above a royal emblem. Behind him is an ocean with either Poseidon or Neptune, the Greek and Roman gods of the sea, in a chariot on the right and two tall ships on the left.This refers to Britain’s naval power.

On the reverse is a gory image of two beheaded bodies, their heads on pedestals. One is James Scott, Duke of Monmouth, the illegitimate child of Charles II. He led the Monmouth Rebellion in an effort to take the throne from his uncle. The other is Scottish nobleman Archibald Campbell, who also led an unsuccessful uprising. Both were beheaded in 1685—Campbell on June 30 and Scott on July 15. 

George I

George took the throne in 1714 after the death of his second cousin, Queen Anne. The choice of a German medalist, Nicolaus Seeländer, may have been a nod to George’s German roots—he was born in Hanover. 

This medal is unique thanks to the elaborate letters in the inscription, each alluding to a quality of George’s. G is in the form of an arm wrapped with a snake and holding a mirror. A pelican, rainbow, branch of ivy, and cornucopia form other letters. St. George, a brave knight who saved a town by spearing a dragon and the patron saint of England, makes the R. Above the letter are the words “May he subdue his enemies.” 

George III and Charlotte 

George III, who was king during the American Revolution, took the throne at only 22, after the unexpected death of his grandfather, George II. Young George was still unmarried, and his mother rushed to find a suitable wife. He married the German princess, Charlotte, on September 8, 1761. A few weeks later, the two were crowned at Westminster Abbey. Our collection includes coronation medals for both.

The medal was cast in different metals: 1,700 copies in silver and 500 gold copies for members of the House of Commons. Some copper versions also exist, perhaps made for the general public.

George IV 

The coronation medal for George III’s son, George IV, shows the ruler as Caesar Augustus. What it doesn’t show is the drama that surrounded the event. Originally scheduled for August 1820, the ceremony had to be postponed until July 1821 after George’s estranged wife, Caroline of Brunswick, returned to England to claim her right to be his queen. The government tried and failed to create a bill that would strip Caroline of her title and rights. Instead, she was turned away at the doors to the coronation ceremony.

Besides being dramatic, George’s coronation went down as the most expensive in history. He commissioned a new crown, robes, and capes. Kings and queens have worn some of these at almost every coronation since; King Charles III is expected to wear them next week.

Charles III

What can we expect for King Charles III’s coronation medal? The coronation emblem may offer a hint. Like the official invitation, the emblem references Charles’s love for nature. Plants and flowers that represent the four nations of the United Kingdom fill and surround the shape of St Edward’s Crown. Look for a rose for England, thistle for Scotland, daffodil for Wales, and shamrock for Northern Ireland. Charles will likely distribute medals to special attendees and staff.