This striking bronze medal of James II forms part of Jean Dassier’s celebrated Kings and Queens of England series, one of the great eighteenth-century medallic projects. Although made in 1731, it honours James II, the last Catholic king of England, and presents his reign in a formal and thoughtful way that will appeal to collectors of royal portrait medals and Stuart history.

The obverse shows a left-facing bust of James II, shown laureate, with long hair, armour and a mantle. The Latin legend IACOBUS.II.D.G.MAG.BR.FR.ET.HIB.REX names him as King of Great Britain, France and Ireland. The portrait is full of authority and reflects the style collectors expect from Dassier’s work, with crisp detail and a strong sense of royal presence.

The reverse is especially interesting. It shows a tomb with the figure of Religion seated in mourning, surrounded by symbols of Roman Catholicism, including a chalice and host, a cross, a crucifix on a chain and a papal tiara with the keys of St Peter. This powerful scene reflects the religious tensions of James II’s reign and gives the medal real historical depth. The inscription below records his birth, coronation and death, making the medal a compact summary of his life.

Struck in bronze and measuring 40 mm, the medal has a pleasing size and a substantial feel. Its design is typical of Dassier’s series, which was struck in 1731 and admired for its careful portraits and historical reverses. For collectors, that makes this piece especially attractive, as it combines a key Stuart monarch with one of the most respected medal series of the eighteenth century.

This medal will appeal to anyone interested in the Stuarts, the religious history of seventeenth-century Britain, or the work of Jean Dassier. It offers a direct and elegant connection to a turbulent reign, rendered with the refinement and skill that make these medals so desirable today.