England. Henry VIII, 1509-1547. Medal (Silver, 50mm, 56.40 g 1), on Henry VIII’s assumption of the title “Supreme Head of the Church of England”, by Henry Bayse (or Basse), chief engraver of the mint of London, 1545. HENRICVS.OCTA.ANGLIÆ.FRANCI.ET.HIB.REX.FIDEI.DEFENSOR.ET. / IN.TERR.ECCLE.ANGLI.ET.HIBE.SVB.CHRIST.CAPVT.SVPREMVM (=Henry VIII, King of England, France and Ireland, defender of the faith, and under Christ the supreme head on earth of the Church of England and Ireland) Bust of Henry VIII to right, wearing a jeweled cap, an ermine robe and a collar of jewels around his neck; around, inscription in two concentric circles divided by the crowned royal badges of the Rose (above), the Portculis (to right), the Fleur-de-lis (below) and the Harp (to left). Rev. Translations of the obverse Latin inscription into Hebrew, above, and Greek ΕΝΡΙΚΟΣ Ο ΟΓΔΟΟΣ ΤΡΙΣ / ΒΑΣΙΛΕΥΣ.ΠΙΣΤΕΩΣ ΠΡΟ= / ΣΤΑΤΗΣ.ΕΝ ΤΗ ΕΚΚΛΗΣΙΑ / ΤΗΣ ΑΓΓΛΙΑΣ ΚΑΙ ΙΒΕΡΝΙ / ΑΣ.ΥΠΟ ΧΡΙΣΤΩ.ΑΚΡΗ / Η ΚΕΦΑΛΗ below Eleven lines of inscription (five in Hebrew and six in Greek); above, H R; at the end of the Hebrew inscription, two rosettes and two fleurs-de-lis; at the end of the Greek inscription, rosette and fleur-de-lis; below, Londini 1545. R. Bishop, “Hebraica Veritas,” Spink’s Magazine, Winter 2009-2010, pp. 18-21 (this medal cited and illustrated). Eimer 26 a (this piece, illustrated on pl. 1). G. F. Hill, “The medal of Henry VIII as Supreme Head of the Church”, NC 1916, pp. 194-195. MI I, pp. 47-48, 44. Very rare. An original striking, nicely toned and most impressive, with a fine portrait of Henry VIII in his later years. Minor marks with some very light smoothing in the obverse fields, otherwise, very fine.
Hammer Price: 68000 CHFEstimate: 85000 CHF