DASSIER, Jean: England, 1731, Bronze, 41 mm
Obv: Bust of George II GEORGIUS. II. D. G. MAG. BR. FR. ET. HIB. REX.
Rev: Inscription NUMISMATA REGUM ANGLIAE A GULIELMO PRIMO AD HAEC USQUE TEMPORA GEORGIO II. MAGNAE BRITANNIAE FRANCIAE ET HIBERNIAE REGI SERENISSIMO ETC. DICATA A JOANNE DASSIER GENEVENSIS REIPUB. CAELATORE MONETALI ANNO M.DCC.XXXI. (Medals of the Kings of England from William the First to These Very Times, Dedicated to George II, the Most Serene King of Great Britain, France, and Ireland, &C., by Jean Dassier, Engraver of Coins to the Republic of Geneva, 1731.)
Signed: J. DASSIER F.
Dedication Medal For the Series, The Sovereigns of England
Ref: M.I. i, 498/43; Eimer 79 /525; Mollinari, 331; Eisler I, 252/2; Thompson 34/34

George II (1683-1760), King of Great Britain and Ireland and Elector of Hanover (1727-1760), was born George Augustus, the son and successor of George I. As Prince of Wales, George quarreled with his father and turned his home into a meeting place for dissident ministers. As king, his politics was dominated by Sir Robert Walpole until Walpole was forced to resign by the machinations of George's estranged son, Frederick Louis. Walpole was replaced by John Carteret (later Earl Granville). George and Granville took Britain into the War of the Austrian Succession (1740-48). The war, however, was generally unpopular and forced Granville's dismissal in 1744. George survived the Jacobite Rebellion of 1745. A year later he appointed William Pitt (The Elder) as prime minister, and it was largely due to Pitt that Britain was victorious in the Seven Years' War (1756-63) against France. Britain's prosperity grew rapidly during George's reign. He was a great patron of the arts and was responsible for bringing the composer George Frederic Handel to Britain. George II was succeeded by his grandson George III. (From O'Brien)