BEHIND THE CRAFT
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Behind the Craft - Victoria Crown

William Wyon is one of history’s great coin designers, a reputation forever linked to the reign of Queen Victoria. His 1838 ‘Young Head’ portrait was so well liked by Victoria that it graced the coins of her reign for nearly 50 years. His 1839 Una & the Lion, now regarded as one of the most beautiful coins ever produced, used characters from Spenser’s The Faerie Queene to represent the young Queen Victoria and the powerful nation under her control.

Then, in 1846, Wyon created a new portrait for a silver crown celebrating the 10th anniversary of Victoria becoming Queen; it became known as the ‘Gothic Crown’.

FG22GOVSP1CP

2022 Masterpiece Gothic Victoria Crown Pattern Piece Silver

ONLY 1000 COINS WORLDWIDE

The fourth issue in our Masterpiece Collection offers a rare opportunity to collect Willian Wyon’s Gothic Revival portrait of Queen Victoria.

The East India Company - Collections

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In a change to Wyon’s Neoclassical style, his 1846 portrait was influenced by mid-19th Century ‘Neo-Gothic’; Queen Victoria wears a fashionable looped plait in her hair beneath the St Edward’s Crown which had been worn at coronations since the 13th Century, while the edge inscription is engraved in the ‘Blackletter’ style popular in carvings and literature from the Middle Ages.
• A rare opportunity to own William Wyon’s Neo-Gothic Masterpiece
• Rare issue ‘Crown’ specification coin in tribute to the original
• Exclusive ‘Pattern Piece’ uses original tooling techniques
• Strictly limited edition of just 1,000 coins worldwide
• Struck in sparkling 925 silver to our highest Proof quality finish
• Bespoke presentation case and storytelling booklet

Product Detail

In a change to Wyon’s Neoclassical style, his 1846 portrait was influenced by mid-19th Century ‘Neo-Gothic’; Queen Victoria wears a fashionable looped plait in her hair beneath the St Edward’s Crown which had been worn at coronations since the 13th Century, while the edge inscription is engraved in the ‘Blackletter’ style popular in carvings and literature from the Middle Ages.
• A rare opportunity to own William Wyon’s Neo-Gothic Masterpiece
• Rare issue ‘Crown’ specification coin in tribute to the original
• Exclusive ‘Pattern Piece’ uses original tooling techniques
• Strictly limited edition of just 1,000 coins worldwide
• Struck in sparkling 925 silver to our highest Proof quality finish
• Bespoke presentation case and storytelling booklet

Specification

  • Alloy

    Sterling Silver - 925Ag

  • Denomination

    £5

  • Weight

    28.276g

  • Authority

    St Helena

  • Diameter

    38mm

  • Edge

    Milled

  • Issue limit

    1000

  • Total Mintage

    1000

Stories

A Masterpiece of Gothic Revival Artistry

Born in Birmingham, England in 1795, in 1816 William Wyon became Assistant Engraver at The Royal Mint, where his career blossomed.

Queen Victoria was undoubtedly his most famous subject, and it seems the Queen appreciated his work.

Victoria is believed to have told Wyon that “you always represent me favourably”, an approval that was surely further enhanced by his ground-breaking Gothic Revival portrait, released in 1847 as a very limited edition of just 8,000 pieces that made it highly coveted by collectors.
Where the Neoclassical looked to ancient Greece and Rome, the Neo-Gothic was influenced by medieval aesthetics.

Maybe Wyon’s studies of medieval poetry for his ‘Una & the Lion’ design had inspired him, or perhaps it was the Gothic Revival architecture of the new Palace of Westminster being built just along the Thames from his desk at The Royal Mint?

Whatever influenced him, the 1847 Crown represents another design triumph in Wyon’s remarkable career and is now available to collectors once again.

Wyon’s portrait of Queen Victoria fills the reverse, her crown and shoulders breaking the trefoil edge motif. Victoria wears the St. Edward’s crown, the first time a monarch had worn a crown on British coins since the days of Charles II.

This rare issue ‘Pattern Piece’ pays tribute to the original coin by being struck to the traditional ‘Crown’ coin specifications while using original tooling techniques to faithfully reproduce Wyon’s ground-breaking design.

  • FAQ

    What is the difference between maximum mintage and issue limit?
    Maximum mintage is the total number of individuals coins which will be struck, this includes coins presented is sets. The Issue limit refers to the number of coins which will be sold in the specific presentation.

    What if the maximum mintage and issue limit is the same?
    This means the coin will only be available in the presentation shown and will not be issued in any other way.

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