Cromwell, Lord Protector

A silver-gilt medal of Oliver Cromwell, Lord Protector, 1653. Medals were issued at Cromwell’s command to commemorate his elevation to the Protectorate on 16 December, 1653. The obverse shows the bust of Cromwell, three-quarters right in armour, with a plain falling collar. A knotted scarf with a fringe is looped over his right shoulder. Underneath are the letters 'T S'. The legend reads: 'OLIV D G R P ANG SCO ET HIB PRO'. The reverse depicts the Arms of the Commonwealth: a lion sejant, laureate, supporting a shield of the Protectorate (the first and fourth quarters with the Cross of St George; the second quarter with the Cross of St Andrew and the third quarter with the Irish Harp) with an escutcheon of pretence bearing the paternal coat of Cromwell and the Latin legend 'PAX QUAERITUR BELLO' (meaning ‘Peace is sought by war’).

According to Medallic Illustrations 1, p 388, 7 and p 409, 46 - 'This medal was not executed by Simon, though it bears his initials; but by some unknown artist at Geneva, as a pecuniary speculation, in consequence of the high price obtained for the original Cromwell Protectorate medal the reverse of which it repeats. The obverse is taken from Simon's portrait of Cromwell Lord General, 1650.' See Pinkerton, J., 'The Medallic History of England to the Revolution', London, 1790 (fol.), xxii, 5; Henfrey, Henry William, 'Numismata Cromwelliana, or the Medallic History of Liver Cromwell', London, 1877, Pl.v.6. See also Museum of London medals A12366-8 and British Museum medal M.7368.