Vereniging van Engeland en Schotland 1707

John Croker created this silver medal to commemorate the union of England and Scotland. On one side, we see Queen Anne, her image framed by her titles, a visualization of power and authority. On the other, the symbols of England, a lion, and Scotland, a unicorn, stand guard either side of a plinth, on which the British coat of arms is displayed. The Act of Union in 1707 was a deeply political act, driven by economics and governance. But it was also personal. Anne became the first monarch of a unified Great Britain, which carried its own emotional weight and significance. Medals like this served not only as historical records but also as tools of propaganda, shaping public perception of the union. Think of it as a marriage—promising unity, but demanding negotiation, compromise, and the forging of a new, shared identity. It's a reminder that political acts resonate on personal levels, shaping identities and collective memories.