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5 Pounds - Elizabeth II Una and the Lion
| Issuer | States of Alderney |
|---|---|
| Year | 2019 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | 5 Pounds |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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|---|---|
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| Obverse lettering | ELIZABETH II · DEI · GRA REGINA · ALDERNEY C.I. 2019 |
| Reverse description | Central depiction of Una and the Lion, a celebrated allegorical composition inspired by William Wyon's iconic 1839 design for Queen Victoria, here reinterpreted to commemorate the 200th anniversary of Queen Victoria's birth. The figure of Una, representing Britannia, is shown guiding a lion with a sceptre, symbolising strength and sovereignty. The design is executed in high relief with richly detailed engraving by Joel Iskowitz. The Latin motto DIRIGE DEUS GRESSUS MEOS (May God direct my steps) appears within the legend, accompanied by the denomination FIVE POUNDS. |
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| Additional information |
The Una and the Lion design originates with William Wyon's 1839 pattern crown for Queen Victoria — arguably the finest coin produced by the Royal Mint in the nineteenth century, and one that never circulated. Pairing a young Victoria as "Una" with a lion drawn from Spenser's Faerie Queene, the design was so admired that it spawned nearly two centuries of restrikes, tributes, and adaptations. Alderney's 2019 issue joins a crowded field of modern interpretations, distinguished primarily by its .9999 fine gold specification, which the original 1839 proof could not have approached.