When were UK monarchs first portrayed facing in opposite directions?

[<k>]

It's taken for granted now that successive monarchs face in opposite directions on the coins of the UK - apart from Edward VIII, who was forced to abdicate after insisting on facing the wrong way. I had assumed that that tradition was/had been universal among European monarchies. It was only today, when looking at portraits of King Peter II of Yugoslavia, that I realised he had faced two different ways in 1938. Looking at the kings of Romania, I then found the same phenomenon. So how and when did this tradition start in England? And did any other monarchies (independent Scotland, perhaps) adopt a similar policy?

[andyg]

Interesting question....

[augsburger]

Are you implying that Edward was forced to abdicate because of the way in which he appeared on coins?

Some would suggest he married the american divorcee so he could get out of being king. His brother Berty did not have anyone he could really pass it on to, it would have gone to his daughter, so he had to stay and face the job!

[Figleaf]

My antique copy of Seaby suggests that the first time it was practiced without exception was under William III (1694-1702), but before that, the Stuarts did the same thing, except when they didn't and Cromwell did things differently (didn't he always?)

Looking at French coins, I see no such tradition. French kings were looking right, except when they didn't. The kings of Spain were looking left and right, seemingly at random and the same goes for the Southern Netherlands coin.

This makes sense to me. The information of which king is on the coin is irrelevant. What is important is the coin. I sometimes see that the direction of the gaze is used to differentiate coins that look alike or to make sure that by gilding a silver coin, you can't create a good-looking fake gold coin, since the king/queen would look the wrong way.

Peter

[Ukrainii Pyat]

James VI of Scotland couldn't seem to decide which way he wanted to face. First it was left, then it was right, but most of the time he decided to keep his drooly an' decidedly unattractive mug off of the coins. Quite frankly that was not such a bad thing, in contrast to his poor mother, who did pretty much the same thing by making her portrait a rather scarce find for modern collectors.

[<k>]

My antique copy of Seaby suggests that the first time it was practiced without exception was under William III (1694-1702), but before that, the Stuarts did the same thing, except when they didn't and Cromwell did things differently (didn't he always?)

Looking at French coins, I see no such tradition. French kings were looking right, except when the didn't. The kings of Spain were looking left and right, seemingly at random and the same goes for te Southern Netherlands coin.

This makes sense to me. The information of which king is on the coin is irrelevant. What is important is the coin. I sometimes see that the direction of the gaze is used to differentiate coins that look alike or to make sure that by gilding a silver coin, you can't create a good-looking fake gold coin, since the king/queen would look the wrong way.

Peter

So it seems it's a British thing. When I was a child, I at first imagined that the portraits of Edward VII and George V were of the same man, so having them face in opposite directions became an aid to telling them apart.

[tonyclayton]

It is said that as Cromwell faced left, Charles II faced right, and the alternation of direction started there.

There was some reversal before then, but both James I and Charles I can be found facing both left and right.
Of course, prior to Henry VII they almost always faced the front!

[<k>]

It is said that as Cromwell faced left, Charles II faced right, and the alternation of direction started there.

But look at Andy's pic, which doesn't always show up in his post for some reason.

[translateltd]

The "milled" portrait of Charles II faces left on some Scottish coins too.  Haven't got that far with my photographing yet so I can't just lift one from my hard drive.

I believe (correct me if I'm wrong) that James II's effigy was the first to be constant on English coins, direction-wise, and so William (and Mary) started the alternation off.

[FosseWay]

When I was a child, I at first imagined that the portraits of Edward VII and George V were of the same man, so having them face in opposite directions became an aid to telling them apart.

The really spookily similar portraits are George V and Tsar Nicholas II:



I know they were cousins, but even so, they were very alike.