Page 44 - The Lugdunum Auction 21

The Supremacy medal, an extremely rare gold medal of the
Tudor King Henry VIII

96

96 Henry VIII, 1509-1547. Gold medal 1545. Also known as the Supremacy medal. Attributed to Henry
Bayse. Commemorating the King's assumption of the Title of Supreme Head of the Church of England.
61,06 g.; 50 mm.

Obverse: HENRICVS OCTA ANGLIÆ FRANCI ET HIB REX FIDEI DEFENSOR ET / IN TERR ECCLE ANGLI
ET HIBE SVB CHRIST CAPVT SVPREMVM.

Bust to right, wearing a jewelled cap, an ermine robe and a collar of jewels around his neck; around, in-
scription in two concentric circles divided by the crowned royal badges of the Rose (above), the Portcullis
(to right), the Fleur-de-lis (below) and the Harp (to left).

Reverse: Inscriptions in Hebrew and Greek with HR above and Londini 1545 below.

Eimer 26a (90’000 £); Hill (1916), 194-5.

GOLD. Of the highest rarity.
Holed. Good Very Fine / Very Fine 75.000.-

Provenance: From the collection of Martine, Comtesse de Béhague (1870-1939) and by descent to the present
owner.

The consignor has generously decided to donate the proceeds of the sale of this medal to support the re-
construction and restoration of the Cathedral Notre-Dame de Paris.