2019-08-29 Thu

Pobjoy Mint released a new Una and the Lion Uncirculated Cupro Nickel coin to celebrate the 200th birth anniversary of Queen Victoria. The famous 1839 design was created by numismatic sculptor William Wyon.

It was inspired by the 1596 poem called The Faerie Queene written by Edmund Spenser. The poem talks about Princess Una who was rescued by St. George from a dragon. She found a lion in her journey. The lion was impressed by her beauty and became her friend and protector.

Una represented a 19-year-old Queen Victoria as the character was known for her qualities of truth and purity. She points her finger in the forward direction while the lion walks along. The lion has been an ancient symbol of Britain. Other inscriptions include the motto of the British Monarch, ‘DIEU ET MON DROIT’ which means ‘God and my right’; and year 2019 – MMXIX in Roman numerals. The coin has been released for the British Virgin Islands.

The obverse side depicts a portrait of Queen Elizabeth II exclusively produced for Pobjoy Mint. The 28.28 grams Cupro-Nickel coin has a diameter of 38.60 millimetres and a mintage limit of 3,10,000. They are packed in capsules and placed inside a brown tube. Blue pouches can be bought separately.

Harvesting of salt was an annual tradition on Salt Island in Victorian times. People harvested salt from the lake and the Virgin Islands officials sent one pound of salt to the Monarch on their birthday. The tradition was discontinued for a while until 2015. During the reign of Queen Victoria, Britain witnessed the industrial revolution. The Queen’s inspiring story touches hearts even today.

Image Courtesy: Pobjoy Mint