1000 Pounds - Elizabeth II Gothic Crown Portrait, Gold Proof

The Gothic Crown portrait used here derives from William Wyon's 1847 design for the Gothic Crown — one of the most celebrated pieces of Victorian coinage — revived for this series as a deliberate counterpoint to the standard Raphael Maklouf and Ian Rank-Broadley effigies that defined late 20th-century British coinage. Wyon died the following year, making the original Gothic Crown effectively his final major work.

At a kilogram of .9999 fine gold, production of individual pieces requires careful annealing cycles to avoid stress fractures in the blank before striking. The 100mm diameter places it among the largest sovereign-issue gold proofs ever produced by the Royal Mint.