Stack's Bowers & Ponterio
November 2015 Baltimore Auction - Sess. A-C 5-6 November 2015
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NETHERLANDS. Silver Peace of Breda Medal, 1667. Henry Casimir II (1664-96). GOOD VERY FINE.
Van Loon II, pp. 534-536;Pax-257;Eimer-240. "MITIS ET FORTIS" (gentle and strong) around Hollandia, standing between a lamb and a lion and holding an eye-topped scepter and pike. Her left foot is firmly planted on the shoulder of the figure of Discord, represented by a semi-nude gorgon-headed old woman, on the ground before her. To the right, Dutch warships sail and to left, British warships burn. In exergue, "PROCUL.HINC.MALA.BESTIA / IUN: REGNIS! 22. / 1667.C.A." (go away from these states, you vicious beast! and date of the peace accord); Reverse: Pax, standing and facing, holding a sword in her right hand and a cornucopia and caduceus in her left. Above, flanked by a bountiful garland, a hand emerges from the clouds holding the arms of England and the Netherlands. A ribbon inscribed "IRATO BELLUM PLACATO NUMINE PAX EST" (war from an angry divinity, peace from one appeased) in the background above merchant ships. In exergue below, "REDIIT.CONCORDIAE.MATER / BREDAE" (Mother Concord has returned at Breda) and shield bearing the arms of Breda between the day and year. The edge bears the extended inscription "NUMISMA. POSTERITATI. SACRUM. BELGA. BRITANNOQUE, RECONCILIATIS CUM. PRIVIL: ORDIN: HOLLAND: ET: WEST" (A medal consecrated to posterity on the occasion of the Peace between the United Provinces and Great Britain. With the permission of the States of Holland and West Friesland). A RARE and controversial Peace medal that may well have initiated another war. The British were not flattered by the obvious bias of the medal - especially since the Gorgon character bore a remarkable resemblance to King Charles II and even featured the term Mala Bestia (vicious beast), a term ascribed to Charles by his enemies at home. Diplomatic complaints led to the destruction of the dies of this medal, and its sale was forbidden, but tensions flared and eventually resulted in another conflict, the Dutch War (1672-78). Even pearl gray patina overall, with no significant defects. A medal which bears true historical significance in its own right, and which is infrequently available to collectors. GOOD VERY FINE.
Estimate: $1200.00- $1500.00
Van Loon II, pp. 534-536;Pax-257;Eimer-240. "MITIS ET FORTIS" (gentle and strong) around Hollandia, standing between a lamb and a lion and holding an eye-topped scepter and pike. Her left foot is firmly planted on the shoulder of the figure of Discord, represented by a semi-nude gorgon-headed old woman, on the ground before her. To the right, Dutch warships sail and to left, British warships burn. In exergue, "PROCUL.HINC.MALA.BESTIA / IUN: REGNIS! 22. / 1667.C.A." (go away from these states, you vicious beast! and date of the peace accord); Reverse: Pax, standing and facing, holding a sword in her right hand and a cornucopia and caduceus in her left. Above, flanked by a bountiful garland, a hand emerges from the clouds holding the arms of England and the Netherlands. A ribbon inscribed "IRATO BELLUM PLACATO NUMINE PAX EST" (war from an angry divinity, peace from one appeased) in the background above merchant ships. In exergue below, "REDIIT.CONCORDIAE.MATER / BREDAE" (Mother Concord has returned at Breda) and shield bearing the arms of Breda between the day and year. The edge bears the extended inscription "NUMISMA. POSTERITATI. SACRUM. BELGA. BRITANNOQUE, RECONCILIATIS CUM. PRIVIL: ORDIN: HOLLAND: ET: WEST" (A medal consecrated to posterity on the occasion of the Peace between the United Provinces and Great Britain. With the permission of the States of Holland and West Friesland). A RARE and controversial Peace medal that may well have initiated another war. The British were not flattered by the obvious bias of the medal - especially since the Gorgon character bore a remarkable resemblance to King Charles II and even featured the term Mala Bestia (vicious beast), a term ascribed to Charles by his enemies at home. Diplomatic complaints led to the destruction of the dies of this medal, and its sale was forbidden, but tensions flared and eventually resulted in another conflict, the Dutch War (1672-78). Even pearl gray patina overall, with no significant defects. A medal which bears true historical significance in its own right, and which is infrequently available to collectors. GOOD VERY FINE.
Estimate: $1200.00- $1500.00