- Museum number
- 1927,0404.3
- Description
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Cast oval silver medal. (whole)
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Bust of Elizabeth, left, hair elegantly arranged, decorated with pearls, small ruff, dress less rich than usual. (obverse)
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Phoenix amid flames; above, the monogram of Elizabeth, crowned, between 1574 roughly engraved. (reverse)
- Production date
- 1574
- Dimensions
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Height: 47 millimetres
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Weight: 27.63 grammes
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Width: 41 millimetres
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- Curator's comments
- Medallic Illustrations 1, published in 1885, states:
This medal is rarer than generally supposed. It is always cast and often chased. Modern chasings in silver, well executed, sometimes occur. Evelyn, assigns, without stating any reason, this piece to 1574. The dress of Elizabeth is less decorated than usual, and in this year she issued a proclamation condemning excess of ornament. The legends intimate apprehension for the Queen's life, and at this time the plague raged with some violence in London. Van Loon supposes it to commemorate the Queen's death, but the legend is as applicable to mortality as to death. It was probably worn as an ornament or badge by those who were personally attached to the Queen.
There is a modern imitation of this medal of the 18th century, also cast and chased, and with a deep ornamental border. On the truncation it is signed, Nicholls.
See Pinkerton, J., ‘The Medallic History of England to the Revolution’, London, 1790 (fol.), vii. 8; Perry, Francis, ‘A Series of English Medals’, London, 1762, v. 3; Van Loon, Gerard, ‘Histoire Métallique des XVII. Provinces des Pays-Bas’, 5 vol. La Haye, 1732-1837 (fol) [There is also an edition in Dutch, but with different paging], I. 558; Köhler, Johann David, ‘Historische Münz-Belustigung’, Nürnberg, 1729-1750, XXI. 225; Luckius, Johannes Jacobus, ‘Sylloge Numismatum elegantiorum, &c.’, Argentinae, 1620 (fol), 255; Evelyn, John, ‘A Discourse of Medals ancient and modern, &c’, London, 1697 (fol.), 93.
- Location
- Not on display
- Exhibition history
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2011 "Fantastic Creatures"
- Associated titles
Associated Title: Phoenix Badge
- Acquisition date
- 1927
- Department
- Money and Medals
- Registration number
- 1927,0404.3
- C&M catalogue number
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MB1 (Medallic Illustrations 1) (124) (70)
