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Auction: 26005 - British and World Coins and Medals: The Martin J Waldron Collection of English Coins
Lot: 695

Coronation of George II and Caroline, Pair of Official Gold Medals, 1727, by J. Croker, GEORGIVS • II • D • G • MAG • BR • FR • ET • HIB • REX • laureate and armoured bust left, rev. VOLENTES • PER • POPULOS •, the King enthroned is crowned by Britannia, CORON. XI. OCTOB. MDCCXXVII. in exergue in two lines, 23.84g, 35mm (Eimer 510; MI ii 479/4), and CAROLINA • D • G • MAG • BR • FR • ET • HIB • REGINA •, diademed and draped bust left, rev. HIC • AMOR • HAEC • PATRIA •, Queen Caroline standing between Religion and Britannia, CORON • XI • OCTOB • MDCCXXVII • in exergue in two lines, 22.86g, 35mm (Eimer 512; MI ii 480/8), the first with a scratch to the reverse field, other minor field marking, otherwise with a near brilliance to golden-hued fields, good extremely fine, the second with some minor contacting, otherwise near brilliance to golden-hued fields, good extremely fine, both presented in original twin case and thus rarer in this joint style of presentation

George II's Coronation medal features a strikingly similar design to that of his father, with Britannia again crowning the King. In part this may have been due to the incredibly brief time that the Royal Mint had to prepare the medal, with a design approved only four days after the Privy Council requested it. Perhaps its imitation was evidence of the strengthening of the new royal house in Britain against the Jacobite tide; the crowning of a second Hanoverian monarch in direct succession from the first, 'by a willing people' as the inscription states. Ironically much like the last Catholic Stuart Monarch - James II - George II also ensured that his Consort, Queen Caroline had a separate Coronation medal produced in her likeness.
The medal of George II was distributed at the public expense during the coronation ceremony. It is said that as few as 200 were struck in gold.


The procession to the Abbey on Coronation day was vast, and ended up lasting two hours. With so many guests making their way, sometimes the crowd was brought to a halt. One of those held up was Sarah, Dowager Duchess of Marlborough. To the delight of those watching, she took a drum from one of the soldiers and sat on it. Inside the Abbey on Coronation day, there were a total of 1,780 people seated, with scaffolding erected and even seats reserved for those who sold wine, coffee and other refreshments during the service. It was said that Queen Caroline's dress was so encrusted with precious jewels that a pulley had to be devised in order to lift her skirt so that she could kneel at various points of the service.


One aspect in particular that was a crucial characterisation of the Coronation was the focus on music's importance. It was the first Coronation for which public rehearsals took place, and the first for which the sheet music was published. A choir of forty and a full orchestra of 160 musicians were housed in temporarily erected galleries above and over the altar. The composer, Handel, was commissioned to write four new anthems for the ceremony, the most famous of which, 'Zadok the Priest' has been sung at every subsequent coronation since, traditionally during the anointing.


At the banquet afterwards, the tables were said to have groaned under the mountainous amount of food, with baskets of excess food being passed up to the galleries via a system of hoists. Once the Royal party had left, the doors to Westminster Hall were thrown open and the public ransacked all food and furnishings within just half an hour.


Despite the chaos that ensued at the end of the day, the Coronation was widely celebrated. Swiss traveller de Saussure declared "I cannot possibly give you any correct idea of the magnificence and beauty of all these sights" and added that it was "the most solemn, magnificent, and sumptuous ceremony it is anyone's lot in life to witness."

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Estimate
£6,000 to £8,000

Starting price
£5500