Description

William III. 1694-1702. Silver Medal 1695, 28.82 g. Death of Mary II. By I. Drappentier. Britannia, with clasped hands, kneels before an altar, on which is a burning censer, and addresses to heaven the prayer of the legend, O SERVES ANIMÆ DIMIDIUM MEÆ; On the ground lie her shield, spear, and a cornucopia britannia supplex 1695. Rv. A funeral pall decorated with the crowned shields of England, Scotland, France, and Ireland; above, a radiated celestial crown in clouds. PRÆLUCET QUATUOR UNA. Plain edge. 44.7 mm. Eimer -. MI ii 120/361. van Loon IV, 189, 3. Saunders/Vanhoudt 1695-19. Gutes sehr schön / Good Very Fine. Feine Patina / Nicely toned.

From the auction Heidelberger Münzhandlung 14, Heidelberg, May 1995, lot 822.

Mary's death from smallpox in 1694 at the age of 32 left William as sole ruler until his death in 1702, when he was succeeded by Mary's sister, Anne.

The obverse was perhaps prepared, or in course of preparation, before the death of the Queen; it contains a prayer for her preservation. The reverse asserts the superiority of one celestial over four terrestrial crowns.