Cleveland Museum of Art

Five Pound Piece: Victoria (obverse); Una (reverse)

William Wyon

Date

1839

Medium

gold

Culture

England, Victoria, 1837-1901

Department

Medieval Art

Institution

Cleveland Museum of Art

This piece was struck by the Royal Mint from gold purchased for the purpose. The current gold coins, such as the sovereign, were struck from gold supplied by the Bank of England. The larger gold pieces have their origins in the five and two guinea pieces. There are several minor varieties of this fine and rare piece, designed by William Wyon, R.A., a member of the celebrated family, still in existence, that had such a long and profound influence on British coin design. By some, this piece was considered to be too medallic for coinage purposes. Queen Victoria, at this date a young woman of 20, is shown as Una, Truth, because truth is one : one of the principal characters in Spenser's Faerie Queene (1590–1611). She is leading the lion referred to in her adventures in Spenser's work. It is often also referred to as the British lion. This coin is considered by many to be one of the most beautiful in the English series, and the standard of workmanship and striking has never been improved upon. This five-pound piece was never for circulation but instead for presentation and collectors.

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