Charles II: Royal Coat of Arms 1660

This is John Roettier's "Charles II: Royal Coat of Arms," a gilded depiction, of modest scale, whose date is uncertain. Immediately, one notices how the round shape and burnished gold surface of the coin interact. This interplay casts Charles II in a regal glow. The effigy emerges in profile, sharply etched against the coin’s surface. Note how Roettier uses line and relief. These bring forward the contours of the king’s face and the cascade of his wig. This emphasis on the physical details can be understood within a broader semiotic framework. Here, the ruler’s image is a signifier of power and authority. The coin challenges fixed notions of royal representation by collapsing the grandiosity of a portrait into a pocket-sized object. The use of gold is both aesthetic and symbolic, signifying wealth and power. The interplay between form and material transforms this small object into a potent symbol. It asks us to consider how power is constructed, circulated, and interpreted through visual and material culture.