Jacobite, Prince Charles Edward Stuart.

Prince Charles Edward Stuart, gold medal by Thomas Pingo, undated (perhaps c.1750), bust right, PRINCE CHARLES EDWARD STUART, rev. the prince, as a highlander, extends his hand towards Scotia, in exergue, SEMPER ARMIS NUNC ET INDUSTRIA, 51mm (MI ii 656/360 very rare; Eimer 626). Good extremely fine though the reverse exhibits the expected die rust, in PCGS holder graded SP63.

PCGS 668259.63/34546395

Provenance:

From the Jonathan P. Rosen Collection, Triton XXI, January 2018, lot 1542

Ex Classical Numismatic Group 102 (18 May 2016), lot 1571

Ex Property of a Gentleman (Sotheby's New York, 8 December 1992), lot 193

Reportedly purchased from I. Snyderman (Art Trading Company), 16 January 1959

Ex J. Pierpont Morgan Collection

Reportedly also ex Thomas Fortune Ryan Collection

An extremely rare and enigmatic medal. The reverse legend tells us that Charles was ready to fight for the Jacobite claim with arms and now with diligence. It would seem the medal, along with a number of others, was produced in general support of the prince, to keep the Jacobite cause alive in the minds of its supporters after his defeat at Culloden. The known examples would appear to have been struck from a rusty reverse die suggesting that some time elapsed between the production of the die and the striking of the medals. If the dies were recommissioned for a specific occasion possible events to commemorate may include the ultimately unsuccessful "French Invasion" (post 1759); Charles's marriage in 1772 to Princess Louise; or his act of legitimation for his illegitimate daughter Charlotte, in 1783, all of which potentially represent the future of a Jacobite claim. Equally the dies could simply have been rediscovered at some later stage and a small number of medals struck to promote the Jacobite cause generally. What is certain is that it remains one of the rarest medals in the series.