Dr Johnson's touch-piece
English, AD 1711

For many centuries it was believed that the touch of a king or queen would cure an individualsuffering from scrofula, a disease of the lymphatic system also known as the king's evil.Ceremonies at which British monarchs 'touched' sufferers continued from the time of Edwardthe Confessor (reigned 1042-66) to Queen Anne (reigned 1702-14).

By the sixteenth century 'touching' involved hanging a gold coin around the neck of thesufferer. The coin was usually an angel, a denomination introduced in 1464 and named after thefigure of the archangel St Michael which appeared on it. After production of the coin had ceased inthe mid-seventeenth century, small medals of a similar design were produced specifically for theceremonies. The inscription that appears around the saint on these pieces translates as 'To Godalone the glory', indicating the ultimate source of the cure. This example is said to be themedal with which Queen Anne 'touched' Samuel Johnson (1709-84) in 1711, when the futurewriter and compiler of the celebrated Dictionary of the English Language was a sickly two-year oldbaby.

To read the complete article, see:
Dr Johnson's touch-piece(www.britishmuseum.org/explore/highlights/highlight_objects/cm/d/dr_johnsons_touch-piece.aspx)

Scott Miller writes:

Andy Singer writes:

To read the earlier E-Sylum article, see:
QUERY: SAMUEL JOHNSON'S GOLDMEDALLION (www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v17n39a27.html)