BEHIND THE CRAFT
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Behind the Craft - Guinea 2023

The Guinea is one of the world’s most famous coins. It once played a starring role in the story of British history and is still familiar to our modern lives today, in no small part due to its association with horse racing.

This iconic gold coin was first introduced in 1662 during the reign of Charles II, before its influence stretched far and wide during the golden age of trade, exploration and adventure. Now it is reborn for the 21st Century with the official coinage portrait of His Majesty King Charles III, creating a direct connection to the original Guinea introduced during the first Carolean age.

2023 The East India Company Guinea Gold Proof Coin

ONLY 100 COINS WORLDWIDE

A gleaming icon from the golden age of trade and exploration, famed for its unrivalled accuracy and beauty, reborn for the 21st Century.

The East India Company - Collections

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The East India Company Guinea's central motif features the Standing Lion, Rampant Guardant, representing the Defender of the Crown, its foot rests upon a globe lying on a rope, denoting the role of the historic Guinea gold coin as the most trusted gold trade coin. The lion stands on the shield of St George behind which are two Cruciform Sceptres inspired by the very first Guinea issued in the reign of King Charles II.  At the base of the design are tea and cotton leaves in a wreath, showing the importance of these commodities to international trade during the Guinea's lifetime and reflecting its long connection to The East India Company. Each coin is finished with a bespoke 'compass milling' with four sets of 13 mills totalling 52 to reflect the passing of time separated by compass point single mills denoting navigation.
• The East India Company Guinea 2023; an icon, reborn
• Exclusive heraldic reverse design
• Official obverse portrait of His Majesty King Charles III
• Strictly limited edition of 100 coins worldwide
• 8.4g of gleaming 22 carat gold
• Exact specification of the original golden Guinea
• Bespoke presentation case and Certificate of Authenticity

Product Detail

The East India Company Guinea's central motif features the Standing Lion, Rampant Guardant, representing the Defender of the Crown, its foot rests upon a globe lying on a rope, denoting the role of the historic Guinea gold coin as the most trusted gold trade coin. The lion stands on the shield of St George behind which are two Cruciform Sceptres inspired by the very first Guinea issued in the reign of King Charles II.  At the base of the design are tea and cotton leaves in a wreath, showing the importance of these commodities to international trade during the Guinea's lifetime and reflecting its long connection to The East India Company. Each coin is finished with a bespoke 'compass milling' with four sets of 13 mills totalling 52 to reflect the passing of time separated by compass point single mills denoting navigation.
• The East India Company Guinea 2023; an icon, reborn
• Exclusive heraldic reverse design
• Official obverse portrait of His Majesty King Charles III
• Strictly limited edition of 100 coins worldwide
• 8.4g of gleaming 22 carat gold
• Exact specification of the original golden Guinea
• Bespoke presentation case and Certificate of Authenticity

Specification

  • Alloy

    22K Gold - 916.7Au

  • Denomination

    Guinea

  • Weight

    8.4g

  • Authority

    St Helena

  • Diameter

    24mm

  • Edge

    Milled

  • Issue limit

    100

  • Total Mintage

    100

Stories

Story of Guinea

The introduction of machine-struck coins to Britain in 1663 put an end to the dark art of ‘clipping’, where criminals would shave the edges off coins to collect small fragments of the precious metals, devaluing the currency in the process. Now, gold and silver coins could be minted with a milled edge and edge lettering to deter this illegal behaviour.

Britain’s first machine-struck gold coin was the Guinea, which then played a vital role in the golden age of trade and exploration, travelling the world on The East India Company ships with its reputation for absolute quality and accuracy.
‘Guinea’ was originally just the coin’s nickname, given because much of the gold used to strike it came from Africa’s Guinea Coast, but the name became so widely used that it was officially adopted in 1720 under the reign of King George I. In later years The East India Company often supplied the gold used to mint these magnificent coins, and during the reign of George II some Guineas bore the EIC mint mark to recognise this.

The 2023 Guinea’s reverse design is split into quarters by crossed sceptres, much like the first Guineas struck during the reign of Charles II, with a lion ‘rampant guardant’, inspired by the historic East India Company Crest, at its heart.

The obverse features the official portrait of His Majesty King Charles III, while the milled edge is marked by a single mill at each compass point to represent the discovery and adventure that lies at the heart of the Guinea’s story.

  • 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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  • Delivery & Returns

    UK Standard Delivery: £9.95
    See our delivery page for more information and overseas delivery.

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