2020-05-14 Thu

A beautiful British rarity coin ‘Una and the Lion’ was sold for 86,500,000 Yen (more than 6 crores) in a Taisei Coins auction which concluded on 3rd May, 2020. 6 crores is the highest ever paid for a ‘Una and Lion’ coin and one of the highest ever paid for any British coin.

Only around 400 examples were struck of the 1839 "Una and the Lion" Five Pounds, which is generally regarded as the most beautiful coin in British numismatics. The coins were struck to celebrate Victoria, who became Queen of England in 1837 at the age of 18. Her 63-year reign is one of the longest by any monarch.

The coin’s obverse features a beautifully executed bust of the young queen, framed by the legend VICTORIA D: G: BRITANNIARUM REGINA F: D:, which is Latin for "Victoria by the Grace of God, Queen of the British territories, Defender of the Faith."

The more famous reverse also features Victoria, this time as Lady Una, a character from Edmund Spenser’s 1590 poem The Faerie Queene. She is pictured directing a lion (a symbol of England). The memorable scene is surrounded by the Latin motto DIRIGE DEUS GRESSUS MEOS, which translates to "May the Lord direct my steps."

Image Courtesy: coinnews.net