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 very large silver kilogram (1 kg silver) format, denominated variously as £1, £5 or £50.
The Mint says about this coin:
Celebrating our heroine Una, an iconic symbol of beauty and honour, and her majestic protector - the lion, the 2021 Una and the Lion 1kg Silver Proof coin features a beautiful new design by engraver Glyn Davies. The 2021 powerful and dramatic design highlights the beauty of Una and the raw power of the lion.
The story of Una and the Lion is the allegorical creation of celebrated English poet Edmund Spencer, author of The Faerie Queen in 1590. The iconic pair first featured on a British coin in 1837 with the issue of Queen Victoria’s majestic £5 gold piece and have long been considered symbols of beauty, strength and honour. Una is a beautiful princess whose parents and kingdom are captured by a ferocious dragon. She sets out on a quest to free them from the dragons clutches, taking her on an epic journey of battles, adventure and romance. During her quest she faces many challenges that tests her humility and determination, including being confronted by a fierce lion. The lion is so taken by her beauty and purity that he abandons his attack on her, becoming her protector and loyal companion. Una enlists the help of a knight to help her slay the Dragon. Steadfast and true to her cause, Una’s virtues inspire the knight to slay the dragon and fulfil his destiny as the hero St George, the Patron Saint of England. |
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The obverse of the coin depicts the crowned old bust of Queen Elizabeth II facing right, wearing the Royal Diamond Diadem crown worn for her Coronation (effigy known as the "Fifth Portrait" worldwide but "Sixth Portrait" in Australia, where the Queen's portrait by Vladimir Gottwald was fifth).
The Queen also wears the Coronation Necklace; originally made for Queen Victoria in 1858, it was also worn at the coronations (as Queen's Consort) of Queen Alexandra in 1902, Queen Mary in 1911 and Queen Elizabeth (the Queen mother) in 1937.
Unlike on British coinage, the effigy is "uncouped" (includes the Queen's shoulders). In small letters on the left, the artist's initials JC (for Jody Clark).
Running continuously around the rim is the monarch's legend, the date of issue and the face value: ELIZABETH II · D · G · REGINA · F · D · ST. HELENA · 50 POUNDS ·. Translated from Latin: Elizabeth the Second, by the Grace of God, Queen, Defender of the Faith, Saint Helena.
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