Silver Five Ounces 2024 Faerie Queene - Redcrosse and the Dragon, Coin from Saint Helena - detailed information

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 large silver five ounces (5 oz silver) format, denominated as £5.

This design is the third release in The Faerie Queene collection of proof coins.

The series is inspired by Edmund Spenser’s epic medieval poem of the same name, and features designs by one of the world’s most celebrated coin artists, Joel Iskowitz.

First published in 1590, Edmund Spenser’s epic poem The Faerie Queene is a classic work of medieval English literature. At over 36,000 lines long, its six books contain one of the longest poems in the English language, believed to be an allegory for the life of Queen Elizabeth I. The story begins with a beautiful princess called Una arriving at the court of Queen Gloriana. Una is carrying a suit of armour upon which is painted a red cross, and is seeking the help of a brave knight to rescue her parents from a wicked dragon. A young peasant boy, keen to prove his worth, volunteers for the task. Una tells the boy that he can try on the armour she carries and, if it fits, she will grant him his wish. Sure enough, it fits him as if it were tailor made. Because of the armour’s distinctive design, Queen Gloriana dubs him "The Redcrosse Knight" and Spenser’s epic story begins.

Book One tells the story of The Redcrosse Knight and his quest to rescue the Lady Una’s parents from an evil dragon. As the pair approached the tower where her mother and father were held, the dragon reared high over their heads, its wings spread wide to block out the sun and its writhing vastness covered in tightly laced scales that seemed to offer no hope of wounding it.

Despite the dragon’s size and apparent invincibility Redcrosse wounded the beast who retaliated with a furious torrent of flame that sent the knight tumbling down a deep, dark well. But luck was with Redcrosse. For this was no ordinary well, but the Well of Life. As he lay in its magical waters his wounds healed and he emerged ready to fight again. He struck a blow that opened a deep gash in the beast’s head, provoking such a rage that the dragon’s fire and smoke caused the land to fall into darkness.
Redcrosse fell, burned and bloodied, at the foot of a tree laden with enchanted apples that restored his strength once more. He rose the next morning fully renewed, and as the monster attacked it opened its fierce jaws to emit a terrible roar, allowing Redcrosse to thrust his lance deep into the dragon’s mouth and pierce its skull.

With a deafening crash the dragon fell, its final breath vanishing into the air. Redcrosse stood exhausted but triumphant, with Una’s tearful thanks and prayers filling his ears.