Prince Charles, 1600-1649, King of England 1625 [reverse]

Art Historical Context

This delicate silver counter, created around 1625, captures Prince Charles at the moment he ascended the English throne as King Charles I. Measuring just three centimeters across, the piece was likely produced by Simon de Passe, a skilled engraver known for his work at the Stuart court. Its reverse side forms part of a pair of stamped tokens that served both practical and commemorative purposes, functioning as gaming counters while also circulating royal likenesses among the nobility and gentry. The medium itself is noteworthy: the design was stamped in imitation of fine engraving, allowing intricate detail to be reproduced on a small scale without the labor of hand-engraving each piece. This technique reflects the growing demand for portable royal imagery during the early seventeenth century, when such objects helped reinforce the monarch’s presence beyond formal portraits. Classified as sculpture despite its modest size, the counter demonstrates how art and utility intersected in Stuart England. Its presence in the National Gallery of Art’s collection, a gift from Lisa and Leonard Baskin, preserves a tangible link to the turbulent reign that would later define Charles I’s legacy.