Medals from the Henry VIII Period
British and Irish Historical Medallic Illustrations 1491 – 1547.
The medals, medalets or counters compiled in this article belong to the time period coinciding with the reign of Henry VIII (28 June 1491 – 28 January 1547). The illustrations are made from historical public domain sources and their information checked against the book “The Medallic Illustrations of the History of Great Britain and Ireland“, which commenced in 1904. Please use the contact form linked on the footer to request high-definition images for non-commercial projects.
James IV of Scotland
Year: 1513.
Material: Struck in silver and lead.
Description: A medal supposedly executed in 1513, when James was making preparations for his invasion of England.
Peace and Cession of Tournay
Year: 1519.
Material: Struck in silver.
Description: This medal was struck in France to commemorate the peace between England and France (which took place in 1518). It references the restoration of Tournay by Henry VIII to Francis I.
John Duke of Albany, Regent of Scotland
Year: 1524.
Material: Struck in gold.
Description: his medal was struck in 1524, when the Duke of Albany resigned the Regency of Scotland and retired to France. The medal was struck using gold found in Crauford Moor.
Henry VIII - Portrait
Year: 1524.
Material: Struck in lead.
Description: A medallic portrait of King Henry VIII, probably made in the Continent.
Henry VIII - Tribute
Year: 1524.
Material: Struck in silver.
Description: This tribute medal to Henry VIII bears the rose, his badge. Its odor is linked here to the fragrant smell from the cedar and plants of the valleys of Lebanon.
Henry VIII - Portrait
Year: 1528.
Material: Struck in glass.
Description: This medal is made in opaque blue glass that imitates the lapis lazuli stone. It might be the cast of one of the medals of Henry VIII executed by Michael Mercator.
Anne Boleyn - Coronation
Year: 1534.
Material: Struck in silver.
Description: This medal was probably cast from a wood or hone-stone carving. Anne Boleyn was crowned on 1st June 1534. The dress given to her in this medal corresponds with contemporary accounts of the ceremony.
Sir Thomas More - Death
Year: 1535.
Material: Struck in bronze.
Description: The reverse of this medal typifies More under a cypress which has fallen by the stroke of an untimely axe — but whose odor is more fragant after death.
Pope Paul III - Excommunication of Henry VIII?
Year: 1588.
Material: Struck in bronze.
Description: This medal was probably made by Valerio Belli in 1588. The griffin symbolises Henry VIII, whom Pope Paul III was seeking to reduce by his wisdom to a sane mind.
Thomas Cromwell - Earl of Essex
Year: 1538.
Material: Struck in silver-gilt.
Description: Thomas Cromwell held high offices of State. He became Dean of Wells and Knight of the Garter in 1537 (event which this medal commemorates). He was created Earl of Essex in 1539 and shortly after Lord Chamberlain. He was later accused of treason and beheaded on 28 July 1540.
Michael Mercator (I)
Year: 1539.
Material: Struck in silver.
Description: Michael Mercadtor was a native of Venlo, envoy of Floris d’Egmont, and Count of Buren. He as attached to the service of Henry VIII and was knighted by him in 1539 – and soon after sent on a secret mission to the Low Countries. Merkator was a skilled artists and these medals are supposed to be his work.
Michael Mercator (II)
Year: 1539.
Material: Struck in silver.
Description: Michael Mercadtor was a native of Venlo, envoy of Floris d’Egmont, and Count of Buren. He as attached to the service of Henry VIII and was knighted by him in 1539 – and soon after sent on a secret mission to the Low Countries. Merkator was a skilled artists and these medals are supposed to be his work.
Michael Mercator (III)
Year: 1539.
Material: Struck in silver.
Description: Michael Mercadtor was a native of Venlo, envoy of Floris d’Egmont, and Count of Buren. He as attached to the service of Henry VIII and was knighted by him in 1539 – and soon after sent on a secret mission to the Low Countries. Merkator was a skilled artists and these medals are supposed to be his work.
King Henry VIII - Tribute
Year: c. 1542.
Material: Struck in silver.
Description: It is unknown that this medal depicts or when it was made. It could relate to Henry receiving the tile of “King of Ireland” in 1541 (he was proclaimed in 1542).
Peace of Crépy?
Year: c. 1544.
Material: Struck in copper.
Description: These medals are believed to commemorate the Peace of Crépy between Germany and France (England did not assent).
Supremacy of the Church
Year: c. 1545.
Material: Struck in gold and silver.
Description: This medal recognizes Henry VIII as the supreme head of the Church of England and Ireland, as proclaimed in 1535. The reverse bears inscriptions in Hebrew and Greek, mimicking the ones in Latin on the obverse.
Henry VIII - Portrait
Material: Struck in lead.
Description: This medal was probably executed after a painting made by Holbein in Germany. There are several varieties of it, with slightly differing details (although most are not contemporary).
Henry VIII - Portrait
Material: Struck in lead.
Description: This medal was probably made from a carved wood or hone-stone cast. It might be contemporary with the Anne Boleyn medal.
Henry VIII - Portrait
Material: Struck in copper.
Description: This medal is of coarse workmanship and might be a copy of a gem.