Owner Comments:
As noted in other areas there are a total of four different obverse types of George III engraved by Küchler, all of which are illustrated in this set. The current medal has bust Type 3b according to Pollard (1970). Brown (1980) classifies this medal as BHM-524 while Eimer (2010) denotes it as E-927 but does not distinguish between the different obverse types beyond a footnote. Tungate (2020) reports that only 316 examples of this medal were struck across the three different obverse types, and four different metals/finishes (i.e., silver, silver gilt, copper, and copper gilt). This medal is one of many in this collection that has retained the original silver-lined brass shells and is graded as MS-64 BN by NGC.
The images are courtesy of NGC’s new PhotoVision Plus service.
Historical Context: Setting aside the feelings of the general populace (see the contemporary political caricature above), The Union of Great Britain and Ireland marked a significant event that presented a multitude of legal and logistical considerations. Throughout the majority of the contemporary newspapers that I read reporting on this issue, the factor that seemed to be reported the most was the title and style of the King. I suppose that makes sense. This is a common theme between the two newspaper clippings I detail below. However, it is also worth considering how changes in the King’s title and style may impact the current money of the realm. Would it still be current tender for all debts, or would the title change necessitate a complete overhaul of the coinage? The contemporary information below addresses this issue and provides some insight into how the government planned to celebrate this momentous occasion. That said, I am not sure their plan involving the Royal Mint ever came to fruition.
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Chester Courant
Tuesday 09 December 1800
THE UNION.
The King will, On the 1st of January next, being the day on which the Union becomes an operative law, issue his Royal Proclamation under the Great Seal of the United Kingdom, declaring that his Royal Style and Titles shall from thenceforth forever be as follow:
“GEORGIUS TERTIUS DEI GRATIA BRITANNIARUM REX, FIDEI DEFENDOR, ET IN TERRA ECCLESIAE ANGLICANAE ET HIBERNICAE SUPREMUM CAPUT.”
In the Ensigns Armorial of the United Kingdom, the Rose is conjoined with the Thistle and Shamrock, issuing from the same stock, an alternated as is represented therein. The Great Seal of the United Kingdom is to remain as present, with the alteration of his Majesty's Arms as above proposed and this inscription:
“Georgius Tertius Dei Gratia Britanniarum Rex, Fidei Defendor,” &c.
In all the Seals of Office, Stamps, Coins, or Instruments, where His Majesty's present Arms are now used, the Ensigns Armorial of the United Kingdom are in future to be used.
In the Privy Council Seal, the Rose is to be conjoined with the Thistle and Shamrock.
The Union Flag is to be altered, and the cross of Saint George is to be conjoined with the crosses of Saint Andrew and Saint Patrick.
The several ornaments of His Majesty's state, in Parliament and elsewhere, are to be the badges above referred to.
The Master of His Majesty's Mint is to prepare drafts of Gold and Silver Medals, commemorating the union of Great Britain and Ireland.
His Majesty, on the 1st of January next, is to declare the Members of His Most Honourable Privy Council for the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland; and to nominate and appoint a Standing Committee of the said Council to be a Committee of Intelligence for the opening and considering all advices, As well as foreign as domestic, and to meet where, and as often as they shall see fit; and also to appoint a Committee for all matters relating to Trade and Foreign Plantations; and a Committee to take into consideration the state of the Coins of this Kingdom, and the present establishment and configurations of His Majesty's Mint.
On the 1st of January the flags and banners of the United Kingdom are to be hoisted and displayed on all His Majesty's forts and castles within the United Kingdom, and the islands of Guernsey, Jersey, Alderney, Sark and Man; and also on board all His Majesty ships of war then lying in any of the ports or harbours of the said United Kingdom, or the islands aforesaid.
In the New Arms of the United Kingdom, England is quartered: - the holds the first and fourth quarters, Scotland the second, and Ireland the third. In the King's Arms, the Armorial Bearing of Hanover is no longer quarterly, but is to be borne as an Escutcheon of Presence.
And the Badges, the Thistle and Shamrock rise alternately from the same stock as the Rose; to that upon carriages, or wherever the badge is to be used, the Thistle is in one instance to be on the right of the Rose, and the other on the left, thus avoiding all shew of preference.
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By the KING.
A PROCLAMATION,
Declaring His Majesty's Pleasure concerning the Royal
Style and Titles appertaining to the Imperial Crown
of the United Kingdom of Greet Britain and Ireland,
and its Dependencies, and also the Ensigns, Armorial
Flags, arid Banners thereof.
GEORGE R.
WHEREAS by the First Article of the Articles of Union of Great Britain and Ireland, ratified and confirmed by Two Acts of Parliament, the one passed in the Parliament of Great Britain, and the other in the Parliament of Ireland, and respectively intituled, “An Act for the Union of Great Britain and Ireland," it was declared, That the said Kingdoms of Great Britain and Ireland should, upon this Day, being the First Day of January in the Year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and one, for ever after be united into one Kingdom, by the Name of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland; and that the Royal Style and Titles appertaining to the Imperial Crown of the said United Kingdom and its Dependencies, and also the Ensigns, Armorial Flags, and Banners thereof, should be such as We, by Our Royal Proclamation under the Great Seal of the said United Kingdom, should appoint; We have: thought fit, by and with the Advice of Our Privy Council, to appoint and declare that Our Royal Style and Titles shall henceforth be accepted, taken, and used as the same are set forth in Manner and Form following ; that is to say, the same shall be expressed in the Latin Tongue by these Words:
“GEORGIUS. TERTIUS Dei Gratia Brittanniarum Rex, Fidei Defensor:”
And in the English Tongue, by these Words:
“GEORGE the THIRD by the Grace of God of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland King, Defender of the Faith.”
And that the Arms or Ensigns Armorial of the said United Kingdom shall be Quarterly; First and Fourth, England; Second, Scotland; Third, Ireland; and it is Our Will and Pleasure that there shall be borne therewith on an Escocheon of Pretence the Arms of Our Dominions in Germany, ensigned with the Electoral Bonnet; and it is Our Wiil and Pleasure that the Standard of the said United Kingdom shall be the same Quarterings as are herein before declared to be the Arms or Ensigns Armorial of the said United Kingdom, with the Escocheon of Pretence thereon herein before described: And that the Union Flag shall be Azure, the Crosses Saltires of St. Andrew and St. Patrick Quarterly per Saltire, counterchanged Argent and Gules; the latter fimbriated of the Second, surmounted by the Cross of St. George of the Third, fimbriated as the Saltire: And Our Will and Pleasure further is, that the Style and Titles aforesaid, and also the Arms or Ensigns Armorial aforesaid, shall be used henceforth, as far as conveniently may be, on all Occasions wherein Our Royal Style and Titles, and Arms or Ensigns Armorial ought to be used. But nevertheless it is Our Will and Pleasure, that all such Gold, Silver, and Copper Monies as, on the Day before this First Day of January One thousand eight hundred and one, were current and lawful Monies of Great Britain, and all such Gold, Silver, and Copper Monies as shall, on or after this Day, be coined by our Authority with the like impressions, until Our Will and Pleasure shall be otherwise declared, shall be deemed and taken to be current and lawful Monies of the said United Kingdom in Great Britain; and that all such Gold, Silver, and Copper Monies as, on the Day before this First Day of January One thousand eight hundred and one, were current and lawful Monies of Ireland, and all such Gold, and Silver, and Copper Monies as shall, on or after this Day, be coined by Our Authority, with the like Impressions, until Our Will and Pleasure shall be otherwise declared, shall be deemed and taken to be current and lawful Monies of the said United Kingdom in Ireland; and all such Monies as shall have been coined for and issued in any of the Dominions of the said United Kingdom, and declared by Our Proclamation to be current and lawful Money of such Dominions, respectively bearing Our Style, or Titles, or Arms, or Ensigns Armorial, or any Part or Parts thereof, and all Monies which shall hereafter be coined and issued according to such Proclamations, shall continue to be lawful and current Money of such Dominions respectively, notwithstanding such Change in Our Style, Titles, and Arms, or Armorial Bearings respectively as aforesaid, until Our Pleasure shall be further declared thereupon. And all and every such Monies as aforesaid shall be received and taken in Payment in Great Britain and Ireland respectively, and in the Dominions thereunto belonging, after the Date of this Our Proclamation, in such Manner and as of the like Value and Denomination as the fame were received and taken before the Date hereof. And it is also Our Will and Pleasure that the several Dies and Marks which have been used to denote the Stamp Duties, and all other Stamps and Marks and Instruments which before the issuing of this Our Proclamation shall have been in actual Use for any public Purpose, and in which Our Royal Style and Titles, or Our Arms or Ensigns Armorial, or any Parts or Part thereof respectively, may be expressed, shall not, by reason of this Our Proclamation or any Thing therein contained, be changed or altered until the same may be conveniently so changed or altered, or until Our Pleasure shall be further declared thereupon; but that all such Dies, Stamps, Marks, and instruments respectively bearing Our Royal Style and Titles, or Arms or Ensigns Armorial used before this First Day of January One thousand eight hundred and one, or any Parts or Part of such Style, Titles, or of such Arms or Ensigns Armorial, shall have the like Force and Effect as the fame had before the said First Day of January instant.
Given at Our Court at St. James's, the First Day of January One thousand eight hundred and one, in the Forty-first Year of Our Reign.
GOD save the KING.
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Obverse: George III is depicted facing left, wearing armor that protects his chest, shoulder, and presumably back (i.e., cuirassed). A tightly drawn ribbon covers the King's neck. Protruding out of the top of the armor, just below the ribbon on his neck is a piece of fabric ruffled in large waves, the interior of which is detailed with a random pattern of raised dots. This fabric is encased by a large breastplate, on the front of which appears a man’s face. To the left of the face appears a rope-like ornament that bisects the leftmost side of the breastplate before disappearing below another piece of fabric ruffled in large waves, which are discernably much larger than the previous piece of similar fabric. Presumably, this fabric wraps around the King’s torso and supersedes the breastplate, smaller ruffled fabric, and the ribbon around his neck. At the foremost tip of this fabric appears an oval medallion encased by a series of neatly formed beads. At the center of which is a man on horseback. This medallion is partly incomplete as it gives way to the innermost part of the rim. To the right appears another ornament similar to the rope-like item previously mentioned. This is almost immediately paired with a series of straps that presumably hold the armor together with small dots intended to represent rivets. His left shoulder protrudes out toward the viewer and is contained within the shoulder portion of his armor. His arm is shielded by a piece of cloth. The King’s hair forms three distinct and finely shaped rolls of curls that appear above and on top of his ear. Only the lowermost tip of his earlobe is visible. The remainder of his hair falls behind his head tightly fastened by a ribbon. Of which only one bow and one loose end are visible. A lock of curly hair can be seen on his right shoulder as well as resting on his left shoulder. The rest falls freely behind his torso before concluding in one large curl. The engraver's initials C•H•K appear immediately below the bust. The obverse legend appears above the bust closely in line with the inner rim. It reads “GEORGIUS III · D: G · BRITANNIARUM REX · FID · DEF · &” All of this is contained within a slightly raised inner rim, which is superseded by a substantially wider rim of greater relief.
Reverse: The reverse provides a rare opportunity to see a standing depiction of Britannia by Küchler. In this instance, a crowned Britannia appears on the left facing right. She is in stride with her left leg slightly behind while her right leg is directly underneath her. Her long hair spills out beneath her crown and a single strand flows freely down her shoulder and rests on her chest. She wears a relatively well-fitted robe that tapers at the bottom. Around her shoulders is a cloak adorned with fine details that give the impression that is made of fur. Her left arm is partially down and her hand grasps a caduceus while resting upon a heraldic-colored shield. Her right arm is outstretched and clasps the hand of Hibernia. Hibernia faces left and is similarly crowned with flowing hair. She also wears flowing robes that cling tightly to her form. Around her shoulder appears a richly detailed cloak affixed to her by a simple brooch. Her left arm is bent behind her and a branch with many leaves rests on her wrist presumably clasped in her hand. Partially obscured behind her appears a shield with the quintessential Irish harp that adorns the Irish coinage. Wrapped around the outer edge appears a cornucopia with a pile of coins spilling out. Both figures are standing on a piece of grassy land in the foreground. In the far distance of the background between Britannia and Hibernia appear two ships both flying a Union Jack. The engraver’s signature
C . H. Küchler . F.C. appear on the exergue line. In exergue, the legend
1 . JAN . MDCCC1.. appears above a small flowered ornament. The main legend, in a much larger font, appears wrapped around the upper portion of the medal above the main devices. It reads
JUNGUNTUR OPES FIRMATUR IMPERIUM.. The entire reverse design is contained within a slightly raised inner rim, which is superseded by a substantially wider rim of greater relief. An interesting cud appears at 7 o’clock.
Edge: Plain
Size: 48mm
Notes: This medal has a few spots but is substantially nicer than most of the other examples that I have examined. I have no explanation for it, but these medals are almost always heavily spotted and often show signs of moderate corrosion and cabinet friction. The current piece is an exception to that general rule, and I wonder what role, if any, the silver-lined brass shells may have played in its preservation. I hope to acquire examples of this medal with the other two bust types, but I fear that it may be some time before an acceptable example appears on the market.
References:
Brown, L. A. (1980). A Catalogue of British Historical Medals: Vol. I The Accession of George III to the Death of William IV 1760-1837. London: Seaby Publications Ltd.
Pollard, J. G. (1970). Matthew Boulton and Conrad Heinrich Küchler. The Numismatic Chronicle, 10, 259-318.
Tungate, S. (2020) Matthew Boulton and The Soho Mint: copper to customer. Worcestershire: Brewin Books.