1731 AD., England, Bronze Medal on Edward VI, by Jean Dassier.

England, medal on Edward VI (1537-1553), by Jean Dassier, 1731 AD.,
Bronze Medal (40 mm / 25,30 g),
Obv.: EDOUARD. VI. D.G. - ANG. FR. ET. HIB. REX. (Edward VI, by the grace of God, King of England, France and Ireland) , bust of Edward VI, facing three-quarters left, in a hat with a feather, a doublet and a cloak with an ermine collar.
Rev.: NAT. 12 OCTOB. 1537. COR. 20. FEBR. 1547. M.6 IUL. 1553 , tomb monument flanked by volutes decorated with festoons of roses. In the center is a square bas-relief showing the king as an infant Hercules strangling a dragon, symbolizing the papacy, in imitation of the fable of Hercules strangling the serpent.
M.I. i, 62/20 ; Eimer 30/30 ; Thompson 29/21 ; Eisler I, 260/23 .

From Dassier's series of medals of the Kings and Queens of England first published in 1731 and restruck by Sir Edward Thomason circa 1820.
Jean Dassier (1676-1763) was one of the most prominent and celebrated engravers of the eighteenth century. Highly regarded for his artistic skills, Jean Dassier was but one member of a noted Swiss family of medallists. He trained under his father, Domaine Dassier (1641-1719), chief engraver at the mint in Geneva. Jean later studied in Paris under Jean Mauger and Joseph Roettier(s). After serving his father as assistant engraver at Geneva, Jean assumed the position of chief engraver following his father's death, a position he held until his own death over forty years later. Jean Dassier was the most prolific of the family, issuing several series of medals, including a series of small medals (jetons) Les metamorphoses d’Ovide, a series of medals representing celebrated men and women in France during the 17th century (les hommes illustres du siecle de Louis XIV), a series of medals depicting the principal Protestant Reformers, The Genevan Theologians, medals illustrating the history of Geneva and, when in England, a series of famous English men (The British Worthies) and a series of English Sovereigns from William I to George II. In conjunction with his son, he also issued a series of small medals illustrating Roman history. Jean Dassier's three sons followed his footsteps in engraving, most notably Jacques-Antoine Dassier (1715-1759). The historian Forrer has claimed that Jean Dassier 'may be termed one of the greatest of eighteenth century Medallists' (Forrer, vol. 1: 339).

Edward VI (1537-1553), King of England and Ireland (1547-1553), was the only legitimate son of Henry VIII. His mother Jane Seymour, Henry’s third wife, died 12 days after his birth. Henry had decreed that during Edward’s minority the government was to be run by a council of regency. In fact, he reigned under two regencies: Edward’s uncle, Edward Seymour, Duke of Somerset (1547-1549), who wielded almost supreme power as regent, and the Duke of Northumberland (1549-1553). A devout Protestant, Edward endorsed Archbishop Thomas Cramer’s revision of the Book of Common Prayer. Clever but frail, Edward died of tuberculosis at the age of sixteen years after willing the crown to Northumberland’s daughter-in–law, Lady Jane Gray, to exclude his catholic sister, Mary I (who, in fact, did succeed him). He did not marry and had no issue.