Historic Coin Fetches £110,000 at Auction
A coin regarded as the "most beautiful" ever minted in Britain has been sold at auction for £110,000.
The "Una and the Lion" five-pound gold coin was discovered as part of a private collection during a probate valuation at a residence near Bangor, Gwynedd.
This coin was never circulated publicly, with fewer than 300 pieces produced in 1839 to mark the beginning of Queen Victoria's reign.
It features a depiction of Queen Victoria as a fictional character from a 16th Century poem, leading a lion.
Record Sale and Artistic Significance
The highest recorded sale price for a "Una and the Lion" coin stands at £340,000.
Auction house Rogers Jones and Co described the coin as "widely considered the most beautiful British coin ever minted and one of the most valuable in the world due to its extreme rarity, unprecedented artistry, and deep cultural significance."
Design and Historical Context
The coin was designed by William Wyon, who served as the Royal Mint's chief engraver for much of the 19th Century, and it is regarded as his crowning achievement.
This coin marked the first occasion a British monarch was portrayed as a fictional character on currency.
Wyon depicted Queen Victoria—who ascended to the throne in 1837 and ruled until 1901—as Lady Una from Edmund Spenser's 1590 poem "The Faerie Queene," symbolizing truth and purity.
The design illustrates Lady Una guiding a lion, which is said to represent her poise and the strength of the British nation under her leadership.
Collector Interest and Auction Details
Rogers Jones and Co noted that the combination of literature, art, and royal history has elevated the coin to a "holy grail" status among coin collectors.
Auctioneer Charles Hampshire, who managed the sale in Chester, commented prior to the auction:
"The original scarcity of these coins means that they very rarely come to auction, so we're expecting a lot of interest from around the world on this."
Condition Report
An independent consultant and member of the British Numismatic Trade Association provided a condition report on the coin, describing it as having "a good cameo appearance" with "light hairlines and handling scuffs throughout."
