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Charles I

Ship in Full Sail
Silver, cast, 61.2 mm Ø, 49.4 g
By Nicholas Briot, 1630.
Obverse:  Bust of Charles I facing right, wearing large ruff, armor, cloak ornamented with the cyphers for Charles (CC) and Henrietta Maria (CH), and suspended on a ribbon St. George of the Order of the Garter. Around, CAROLVS · I · D · G · MAG · BRITANIÆ · FRAN · ET · HIB · REX · (Charles I, by the grace of God, King of Great Britain, France, and Ireland). Below the bust, signed NBRIOT.
Reverse:  Ship sailing to the right, away from land. At left, a headland with a fort. Around, NEC · META · MIHI · QVI · TERMINVS · ORBI · (Nor is that a limit to me, which is a boundary to the world).

This medal, commonly referred to as the Dominion of the Sea medal, asserts the claim of Charles that England has authority over the seas adjoining it. To this end, he sent a letter to Sir William Boswell, his Minister at The Hague, stating: "We hold it a principle not to be denied that the King of Great Britain is a Monarch at sea and land to the full extent of his dominions. His Majesty finds it necessary for his own defence and safety to re-assume and keep his ancient and undoubted right in the dominion of these seas."

There are several other versions of this design, including a very similar cast piece in which Charles sports a lovelock and small struck pieces dated 1630. All of these other versions have corrected the reverse inscription from QVI to QVÆ, indicating the likelihood that this type is the earliest version. Another cast version, with a revised bust, is dated 1639.

Published:

Illustrated in Eimer 2010, pl. 12, no. 118a.

References:

Hawkins 1885, p. 256, no. 40

Jones 1988, nos. 144-146

Eimer 2010, no. 118a

Platt and Platt 2013, vol. I, pp. 123-126, type A

cf. Scher 2019, no. 566

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