Una and the Lion

The strength of the Mint's collection of coins lies in the modern period, that is, from 1662. One of the rarest coins in the collection, and a coin much sought after by collectors, is the Una and the Lion five pounds. This was a gold coin from the reign of Queen Victoria that depicted the young queen symbolically leading the British Lion.

The coin was designed by the Mint engraver William Wyon, who was one of the foremost engravers of his generation. He was also responsible for the portrait of Queen Victoria used on the famous Penny Black stamps.

The Mint's collection of Una and the Lion coins reflects the special concerns of a Mint collection, which include taking an interest in how coins have been produced over the centuries. As a result, the Mint has thirteen specimens of the coin at different stages in its life, and in addition the dies and the lettering segments that gave the coin its raised-letter inscription around the edge have also been preserved.