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With the defeat of Charles I a Council of State was set up, the kingship abolished and England was governed as a Commonwealth. This rare piece was one of a series struck by order of Cromwell, and with the consent of the Council. The dies were made by Thomas Simon and the striking of the coins was entrusted to Peter Blondeau, who made use of the mill and screw press, which he had imported and improved. Public opinion appears to have been against Cromwell using his own portrait on the coinage and these pieces were not put into circulation, though even so they occasionally appear in somewhat worn condition. The laurel wreath and the crown are significant as there was a movement to offer Cromwell the Crown of England.

Page data

Page
1
Source index
0
Type
photo
Media ID
d25ea843aca60e0f
Size
unknown

Document data

ID
144486
Core
obj
Type
object
DTO data
{
    "id": "144486",
    "contentType": "object",
    "title": "Broad: Oliver Cromwell Lord Protector (obverse); Crowned Shield of Arms (reverse)",
    "description": "With the defeat of Charles I a Council of State was set up, the kingship abolished and England was governed as a Commonwealth. This rare piece was one of a series struck by order of Cromwell, and with the consent of the Council. The dies were made by Thomas Simon and the striking of the coins was entrusted to Peter Blondeau, who made use of the mill and screw press, which he had imported and improved. Public opinion appears to have been against Cromwell using his own portrait on the coinage and these pieces were not put into circulation, though even so they occasionally appear in somewhat worn condition. The laurel wreath and the crown are significant as there was a movement to offer Cromwell the Crown of England.",
    "date": "1656",
    "citation": "https://clevelandart.org/art/1969.197",
    "rights": "CC0",
    "rightsUri": "CC0",
    "language": "en",
    "wikidata": [
        "Q79921752"
    ],
    "creators": [
        10246
    ],
    "genreSpecific": [
        "Coins"
    ],
    "iiifBase": "https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/1969.197/1969.197_web.jpg",
    "thumbnailUrl": "https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/1969.197/1969.197_web.jpg",
    "largeImageUrl": "https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/1969.197/1969.197_web.jpg",
    "imageCount": 1,
    "source": "import",
    "dimensionsRaw": "Diameter: 2.9 cm (1 1/8 in.)",
    "cul": [
        "England, Oliver Cromwell, Lord Protector, 1653-1658"
    ],
    "accession": "1969.197"
}

Context sent to Scholar

Document identity
{
    "localId": "144486",
    "label": "Broad: Oliver Cromwell Lord Protector (obverse); Crowned Shield of Arms (reverse)",
    "core": "obj",
    "dtoType": "object"
}
Document source metadata
{
    "id": "144486",
    "contentType": "object",
    "title": "Broad: Oliver Cromwell Lord Protector (obverse); Crowned Shield of Arms (reverse)",
    "description": "With the defeat of Charles I a Council of State was set up, the kingship abolished and England was governed as a Commonwealth. This rare piece was one of a series struck by order of Cromwell, and with the consent of the Council. The dies were made by Thomas Simon and the striking of the coins was entrusted to Peter Blondeau, who made use of the mill and screw press, which he had imported and improved. Public opinion appears to have been against Cromwell using his own portrait on the coinage and these pieces were not put into circulation, though even so they occasionally appear in somewhat worn condition. The laurel wreath and the crown are significant as there was a movement to offer Cromwell the Crown of England.",
    "date": "1656",
    "citation": "https://clevelandart.org/art/1969.197",
    "rights": "CC0",
    "rightsUri": "CC0",
    "language": "en",
    "wikidata": [
        "Q79921752"
    ],
    "creators": [
        10246
    ],
    "genreSpecific": [
        "Coins"
    ],
    "iiifBase": "https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/1969.197/1969.197_web.jpg",
    "thumbnailUrl": "https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/1969.197/1969.197_web.jpg",
    "largeImageUrl": "https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/1969.197/1969.197_web.jpg",
    "imageCount": 1,
    "source": "import",
    "dimensionsRaw": "Diameter: 2.9 cm (1 1/8 in.)",
    "cul": [
        "England, Oliver Cromwell, Lord Protector, 1653-1658"
    ],
    "accession": "1969.197"
}
Document source extras
{
    "tec": "gold",
    "tombstone": "Broad: Oliver Cromwell Lord Protector (obverse); Crowned Shield of Arms (reverse), 1656. Thomas Simon (British). Gold; diameter: 2.9 cm (1 1/8 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, The Norweb Collection, 1969.197",
    "collection": "MED - Numismatics",
    "inscriptions": [
        {
            "inscription": "PAX QVÆRITVR BELLO",
            "inscription_translation": "Peace is sought by War",
            "inscription_remark": "reverse"
        },
        {
            "inscription": "OLIVARD G RP ANG SCO ET HIB&PRO",
            "inscription_translation": "Oliver by the Grace of God Protector of the Republic of England Scotland and Ireland",
            "inscription_remark": "obverse"
        }
    ],
    "didYouKnow": "Thomas Simon was one of the great medallists of history and chief engraver at the Royal Mint although he left the regular work to his deputies and spent most of his time on commemorative medals.",
    "citations": [
        {
            "citation": "Cleveland Museum of Art, and Emery May Norweb. <em>English Gold Coins, Ancient to Modern Times, On Loan to the Cleveland Museum of Art from the Norweb Collection</em>. [Catalog. 1968.",
            "page_number": "p. 56"
        }
    ],
    "url": "https://clevelandart.org/art/1969.197",
    "creditline": "The Norweb Collection",
    "updatedAt": "2026-05-29 07:25:15.510000",
    "imageUrl": "https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/1969.197/1969.197_print.jpg",
    "sourceId": 144486,
    "dept": "Medieval Art",
    "coll": "MED - Numismatics",
    "med": "gold",
    "creatorTags": [
        "male"
    ],
    "thumbnail_url": null,
    "image_url": null
}
Page context
{
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    "pageIndex": 0,
    "type": "photo",
    "url": "https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/1969.197/1969.197_web.jpg",
    "mediaId": "d25ea843aca60e0f"
}