Saint Helena is a small island in the South Atlantic Ocean which is part of the British overseas territory of Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha. The currency of the island is the Saint Helena pound, fixed at parity with the pound sterling. The island has authorised some private mints to issue coins under its jurisdiction, which come in a variety of sizes - including in the popular gold ounce (1 oz gold) format, denominated as £5.
The Mint says about this coin:
Each year, The East India Company’s celebrated Una and the Lion series invites the world’s great coin designers to re-imagine the ancient legend and give the story of heroic Una and her devoted companion the Lion a fresh, contemporary twist. Their story has been retold for 2022 by designer Glyn Davies. His elegant, determined Una and powerful but poised lion sit facing each other, staring deeply into each others eyes as they ponder the next step on their quest, seeming to communicate their thoughts, hopes and fears through their held gaze. His design captures all the grace, courage and trust of the original story of this brave princess and the mighty beast at her side.
This strictly limited-edition Gold Proof 1oz coin is presented in a bespoke case, every detail of Glyn Davies’ design carefully reproduced using a combination of traditional hand craftsmanship and the best of modern minting techniques.
The legend of Una and the Lion dates back to the 16th Century and Edmund Spencer’s epic medieval poem, The Faerie Queene. Una is a beautiful princess on a quest to rescue her parents from a dragon who has imprisoned them in a tower. She encounters a fierce lion whose rage is subdued as he is captivated by Una’s beauty and innocence. He becomes her faithful companion, forever by her side, protecting her from harm. The relationship between Una and the Lion and the great coin designers began with the 1839 five-pound piece, produced to mark the first anniversary of the coronation of Queen Victoria. It featured a bold neoclassical design by William Wyon, whose Una and the Lion symbolised the young Queen Victoria harnessing the power of the mighty British nation, represented by the Lion. It is now recognised as one of history’s most beautiful coin designs, a legacy which continues with the East India Company’s annual Una and the Lion Collection. |
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The obverse of the coin depicts the crowned old head of Queen Elizabeth II facing right, wearing the Royal Diamond Diadem crown and the Victoria Coronation necklace worn for her Coronation. This is her effigy known as the "Fifth Portrait" worldwide and "Sixth Portrait" in Australia, in "uncouped" version - showing the Queen's shoulders and not terminating at the neck as the normal version.
On the left, in small letters on the Queen's shoulder, the artist's initials J.C (for Jody Clark).
Running continuously around the rim is the monarch's legend and the face value: ELIZABETH II · D · G · REGINA · F · D · ST. HELENA · 5 POUNDS ·. Translated from Latin: Elizabeth the Second, by the Grace of God, Queen, Defender of the Faith, Saint Helena.
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