I am now able to add no less than nine more of these
medals, making a total thus far of sixteen. Under these
circumstances, increasing the medallic history of Belgium
to so notable an extent, I have thought that a brief
reconsideration of the series might not be unacceptable
to the International Numismatic Congress to be convened
at Belgium’s capital city.
That the medals of the Anglo-Belgian Princess Charlotte
first interested me in a professional way will be
readily understood by all who are familiar with my
researches for nearly thirty years into- the history of
medals connected in any way with the science of
medicine.
Charlotte Augusta, daughter ofGeorgelV and Caroline
of England died during her first confinement. All
England was wishing her a happy deliverance, and all
Belgium was anticipating the b irth of an eventual heir to
the kingdom. Her physician, sir Richard Croft of London,
himself a noted accoucheur, and son-in-law of the
still more distinguished Denman, was so overcome by
mortification at the disaster, and so fearful of the unkind
criticism that would have been sure to be made, that
he .committed suicide. Medallists have vied with each
other to preserve the memory of the estimable princess.
The medals of Charlotte may be divided into the
following groups.
G r o u p I. — Struck upon the Princess Charlotte
coming o f age, in 18 14 •
r. Obverse. Bust, to right. Upon truncation : T.
WEBB FECIT. Inscription : CAROLOTTA AY-
GVSTA.
Reverse. Hope, erect, with cornucopia and olive
branch. Behind, rudder and globe. Legend : SPES
PVBLICA Exergue : JAN ■ VII • MDGCCXIV. | -b
Silver, bronze, 54 mm. Knyphausen cat., Supplt. I,
No. 904■, Numismatic Circular, Sept., 1905, p. 8618,
Nos. 19917-18.
G r o u p II. — Struck upon the marriage o f Charlotte
with Leopold.
2. Obverse. Busts, jugate, to right; in decorated uniform,
and draped. Upon truncation: HALLIDAYF.
Inscription : CARLOTT ■ AUG ■ WALL • PR ■ ET
LEOP • G • F • COBURG • SAX • AD • SAL • PR.
Reverse. Hymen, with torch in right hand, and in
left a wreath of roses. At right, below : H Legend : TAE-
DIS FELICIBUS. Exergue : MAY 2 • 1816.
Bronze, 54 mm. Hamal-Mouton, Revue beige, April,
1902, No. 220.
3. Obverse. Within depressed circular field, jugate
busts to left, that of the prince being the outer. Upon
his helmet the Belgian lion, of immense size. At sides :
CHARLOTTE-LEOPOLD. Inscription : HER ROYAL
HIGHNESS THE PRINCESS CHARLOTTE AUGUSTA.
BORN. 7 JANUARY 1796 |
Reverse. Within similar field : ROYAL | NUPTIALS
| CELEBRATED | AT CARLTON | HOUSE |
a«“> MAY | 1816. Inscription: HIS SERENE HIGHNESS
PRINCE L. G. C. F. OF COBURG. DUKE OF
SAXONY. BORN 16 DECEMBER 1790.
White metal, 4 2 mm. In the Boston Collection (t).
(1) I have preferred that the very large collection, several thousand, of
medical medals that I have given to the Boston Medical Library in memory