Stock No. 3113	Jacobite bronze medal expected arrival of Young Pretender
Rare George II bronze Jacobite medal depicting the expected arrival in Britain of "Bonny Prince Charlie", the Young Pretender. 1745. Probably by Thomas Pingo. Obverse: Bust of Prince Charles looking right, hair short, curly at back, no drapery. Legend:- CAROLUS WALLAE PRINCEPS. Below, 1745. Reverse: Britannia, standing by a rock on the sea-shore, resting upon her spear and shield, awaits the arrival of an approaching fleet. Behind her is a globe with the map of Great Britain. Legend:- AMOR ET SPES (Love and hope). Exergue:- BRITANNIA. See "Medallic Illustrations", vol.II, p600, No.251. Maker :- Thomas Pingo

Condition :-Extremely Fine
Circa :- 1745
Size :- 1.5 inches (38 mm) diameter
This medal was struck in England when Prince Charles had resolved to make an attempt to recover the British throne. It was circulated freely both in England and Scotland among his supporters who had been advised of his coming. Britannia represents the young Prince's friends who were fired by love and hope and who now awaited his arrival, which he had led them to expect. In 1748, when negotiations for a peace with England were proceeding at Aix-la-Chapelle, Prince Charles made sure that this medal was widely distributed in France, so"that there were but few of any tolerable mark but had one". The French Ministry who were keen to make peace, looked upon this act as an insult and complained to the King who was unwilling to take any notice of the matter. The Prince de Conti remarked to Prince Charles one day that he was surprised at the type of the medal since the British navy was no very good friend to the Prince. To this, the Prince replied "That may be, but I am nevertheless the friend of the fleet against all its enemies. The glory of England I shall always regard as my own and her glory rests on her navy." (See The Lockhart Papers, 1817, Vol.II page 571.)

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