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Auction: 22007 - British and World Coins and Commemorative Medals Autumn Auction
Lot: 742

William of Orange, Landing at Torbay, AR Medal, 1688, by J. Smeltzing, HANG EXTOLLIT • ILLAM DELICIT ?, William III in Roman costume tramples upon the French shield and holds up that of England; beyond, the disembarkment of his army, AETERNAE MEM : EXPED : PRINC : AUR : BATAV : ADIUVANT : AD LIBER : ANG • CLASSIS SOLVIT XI APPULIT XV NOV : 1688• in exergue in five lines, rev. MINATUR SOLI, SED FAVET ORBI, Belgic lion wielding an upright sword rests a paw on the globe, on which the cap of Liberty is placed, and looks menacingly towards the sun marked with the fleur-de-lis of France, LEO BELGICUS in exergue, plain edge, 58mm, 76.60g (Eimer 297a; MI 638/63; van Loon III, 353), nailmarked and previously cleaned, nevertheless now retoned and with some residual brilliance, very fine and extremely rare, none traced by this cataloguer on CoinArchives

In May 1687 Churchill had written to William assuring him "under my own had, that my places and the King's favour I set at nought in comparison of being true to my religion".



In Spring of 1688, a group of Whig leaders headed by the Earls of Danby and Shrewsbury and the Duke of Devonshire invited William to England. William was sharply aware that an alliance between England and Holland could be vital to the cause of Protestantism across Europe. He replied that if he received a formal request from leading English statesmen he would come and that he would be ready by September. A formal request was duly written and signed by Danby, Devonshire, Bishop Compton, Sidney and Lumley. It was taken to Holland by Admiral Herbert, disguised as a common seaman. The signatories returned to their estates and prepared for war, whilst William prepared for invasion. At the end of September Louis XIV turned his armies towards the Rhine and the German collation believing that civil war would break out in England and any invasion or intervention would be unnecessary. The way was clear for William to invade Britain. William's fleet, some 500 vessels strong plus an escort of 60 warships, landed at Torbay on 5th November.

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Sold for
£1,500

Starting price
£1300