Charles I & Henrietta Maria silver loyalty badge

Charles I and Henrietta Maria silver cast and chased loyalty badge. Circa 1649. Obverse: bust of Charles I facing left. Lovelock on left shoulder, in falling lace collar, armour and scarf across the breast. Reverse: Bust of Henrietta Maria facing left, crowned, in pearl necklace and ear-ring, lace collar, stiff and erect and bodice ornamented with jewels. The badge has an engrailed border on both sides and a ring above and below for suspension. See Medallic Illustrations vol.I, page 358, No.224.



The two sides of one of these badges are fixed to the covers of a New Testament in the British Museum. This medal is one of a number of badges evidently intended to be worn by friends or supporters of Charles I. These medals are of various sizes and workmanship and were executed at various times. Some were worn as ornamental or honourable decorations conferred for services performed and were struck before the Kings execution. Others were struck after the King was deposed and were worn in a concealed manner as tacit memorials of the monarch or of the cause where an open avowal of such attachment would have been troublesome or dangerous to the wearer.