Five Pounds 1839 Una and the Lion, Coin from United Kingdom - detailed information

Five Pounds 1839 Una and the Lion, Coin from United Kingdom (demonetised 1971)
CoinFive Pounds 1839 Una and the Lion

This coin is known as the Una and the Lion Five Pound piece.

The design was derived from a poem, The Faerie Queene by Edmund Spenser in praise of Queen Elizabeth I published in 1590. In that poem Una is the personification of the "True Church" and also representative of Truth. At one she point tames a lion by her beauty and honesty; the lion then travels with her both as a guard and to undertake deeds.

On the coin, by William Wyon, Una is Queen Victoria. She is wearing a crown and guiding the lion with her sceptre while holding an orb.

It is a classic of the Victorian Age in both style and sentiment, and one of master engraver William Wyon's masterpieces, with a modest mintage in the hundreds. It was only minted on demand from the time it first appeared in the Coronation sets, only in Proof grade.

MintRoyal Mint Mint MarkNo mint mark Total Mintage 400
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Obverse
United Kingdom / Five Pounds 1839 Una and the Lion - obverse photo

Head of Queen Victoria facing to left; around, VICTORIA D: G: BRITANNIARUM REGINA F: D:; raised on base of neck, W.WYON, R.A.
Obverse Inscription VICTORIA D: G: BRITANNIARUM REGINA F: D:
Reverse
United Kingdom / Five Pounds 1839 Una and the Lion - reverse photo

The reverse shows the figure of Queen Victoria standing, robed and crowned, holding and orb in her left hand and directing a lion to left, with a sceptre extended in her right hand.

Around, the inscription DIRIGE DEUS GRESSUS MEOS. (translated from Latin: May the Lord direct my steps; some coins say DIRIGIT instead of DIRIGE - The Lord directs my steps).

In exergue, the date of issue in Latin numerals: MDCCCXXXIX. (1839).

Around below, the artist's name W. WYON R.A. (R.A. is the post-nominal for Royal Academician, i.e. an academician of the Royal Academy of Arts in London).
Reverse Inscription DIRIGE DEUS GRESSUS MEOS. MDCCCXXXIX.
EdgeInscribed (raised lettering)Edge InscriptionDECUS ET TUTAMEN. ANNO REGNI TERTIO.
Notes

Most coins have the DIRIGE legend. Even though Spink explicitly lists the type as "Proof only", these and some other varieties are not valued as proofs in the catalogue valuations.

The "ordinary" coins (i.e. not a "variety") are taken to be those described by Spink as "DIRIGE legend, plain edge" [NOT proof].

Although these coins were released as Proof FDC only, Spink remarks that "Truly FDC 1839 Five Pound coins are hardly ever encountered."

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Five Pounds 1839 Una and the Lion: Known varieties
Variety DIRIGIT legend, inscribed edge, not proof
Mintage Issued: unknown
Details

Coin alignment.

Variety DIRIGIT legend struck on thick flan, not proof
Mintage Issued: unknown
Variety DIRIGIT legend, plain edge, not proof
Mintage Issued: unknown
Details

Coin alignment.

Variety DIRIGE legend, 13 leaves to rear fillet, proof
Mintage Issued: unknown
Variety DIRIGE legend, plain edge, proof
Mintage Issued: unknown
Variety DIRIGE legend, 9 leaves to rear fillet, not proof
Mintage Issued: unknown
Variety DIRIGIT legend, plain edge, proof
Mintage Issued: unknown
Five Pounds 1839 Una and the Lion: References to Information Used
SourceEditionAboutLinkNotes
Museums Victoria Collections 2016 Coin description link
Remick, Catalogue of British Commonwealth Coins 1971 Mint
Krause, Standard Catalog of World Coins 1971 Mintage
Spink, Coins of England and the United Kingdom Varieties All varieties
Friedberg, Gold Coins of the World 1965 Varieties Plain edge
Museums Victoria Collections 2016 Design link
See also

The Una and the Lion design has been issued, re-issued and re-interpreted in the following formats:
- Five Pounds Gold 1839 Una and the Lion - the original issue
- 5 kg Gold, Una and the Lion, United Kingdom 2019
- 2 kg Gold, Una and the Lion, United Kingdom 2019
- 1 kg Gold, Una and the Lion, United Kingdom 2019
- 5 oz Gold, Una and the Lion, United Kingdom 2019
- Gold £20 (2.5 oz) Una and the Lion, Alderney 2019
- 2 oz Gold, Una and the Lion, United Kingdom 2019
- Five Sovereigns, Una and the Lion, Alderney 2019
- Five Pounds, Una and the Lion, Alderney 2019
- Five Sovereigns, Una and the Lion, Saint Helena 2019
- Double Sovereign, Una and the Lion, Alderney 2019
- Sovereign, Una and the Lion, Alderney 2019
- Half Sovereign, Una and the Lion, Alderney 2019
- Quarter Sovereign, Una and the Lion, Alderney 2019
- 2 kg Silver, Una and the Lion, United Kingdom 2019
- 1 kg Silver Proof, Una and the Lion, Alderney 2019
- 2 oz Silver, Una and the Lion, United Kingdom 2019
- 5 oz Gold, Una and the Lion, Saint Helena 2021
- 2 oz Gold, Una and the Lion, Saint Helena 2021
- 1 oz Gold, Una and the Lion, Saint Helena 2021
- 1 kg Silver, Una and the Lion, Saint Helena 2021
- 5 oz Silver, Una and the Lion, Saint Helena 2021
- 2 oz Silver, Una and the Lion, Saint Helena 2021
- 1 oz Silver, Una and the Lion, Saint Helena 2021
- 1 oz Gold Bar, Una and the Lion, United Kingdom, undated (released 2021)
- 100 oz Silver Bar, Una and the Lion, United Kingdom, undated (released 2021)
- 1 oz Silver Bar, Una and the Lion, United Kingdom, undated (released 2021)
- 10 oz Silver Bar, Una and the Lion, United Kingdom, undated (released 2021)
- Platinum Five Sovereigns, Una and the Lion, Saint Helena 2024
- Platinum Sovereign, Una and the Lion, Saint Helena 2024
- Five Sovereigns, Una and the Lion, Saint Helena 2024
- 1 oz Gold Bar, Una and the Lion, United Kingdom, undated (released 2024)
- Double Sovereign, Una and the Lion, Saint Helena 2024
- Sovereign, Una and the Lion, Saint Helena 2024
- Half Sovereign, Una and the Lion, Saint Helena 2024
- Quarter Sovereign, Una and the Lion, Saint Helena 2024
- 100 oz Silver Bar, Una and the Lion, United Kingdom, undated (released 2024)
- 10 oz Silver Bar, Una and the Lion, United Kingdom, undated (released 2024)
- 1 oz Silver, Una and the Lion, Saint Helena 2024
- 1 oz Silver Bar, Una and the Lion, United Kingdom, undated (released 2024)

All (11) coins of type: Five Sovereigns (Pre-decimal)
Coin NameMintageEffigyLegend
Five Pounds 1820 (Pattern) unknown Portrait by Benedetto Pistrucci (Laureate Head) GEORGIUS III D: G: BRITANNIARUM REX F: D: 1820
Five Pounds 1826 (Proof only) 150 King George IV - Bare Head GEORGIUS IV DEI GRATIA 1826
Five Pounds 1831 (Pattern) unknown King William IV - Bare Head GULIELMUS IIII D:G: BRITANNIAR: REX F: D:
Five Pounds 1839 Una and the Lion 400 Queen Victoria - Young Head VICTORIA D: G: BRITANNIARUM REGINA F: D:
Five Pounds 1887 54,641 Queen Victoria - Jubilee Head VICTORIA D: G: BRITT: REG: F: D:
Five Pounds 1893 21,178 Queen Victoria - Veiled Head VICTORIA · DEI · GRA · BRITT · REGINA · FID · DEF · IND · IMP ·
Five Pounds 1902 42,977 King Edward VII - Bare Head EDWARDVS VII D: G: BRITT: OMN: REX F: D: IND: IMP:
Five Pounds 1911 (Proof only) 2,812 King George V - Bare Head GEORGIVS V DEI GRA: BRITT: OMN: REX FID: DEF: IND: IMP:
Five Pounds 1937 Edward VIII (not released) unknown King Edward VIII - Bare Head EDWARDVS VIII D : G : BR : OMN : REX F : D : IND : IMP.
Five Pounds 1937 (Proof only) 5,501 King George VI - Bare Head GEORGIVS VI D : G : BR : OMN : REX F : D : IND : IMP.
Five Pounds 1953 (not released) unknown Queen Elizabeth II - First Portrait ELIZABETH II DEI GRA: BRITT: OMN: REGINA F: D: +
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Five Pounds 1839 Una and the Lion: Details
CountryUnited Kingdom
CurrencyPound Sterling (pre-decimal)
Coin TypeFive Sovereigns (Pre-decimal)
Issued1839
MonarchQueen Victoria
EffigyQueen Victoria - Portrait by William Wyon (Young Head)
Face Value5 (x Pound)
Total Mintage400
CurrentNo; demonetised 1971
Material0.9167 Gold
DesignerWilliam Wyon
TechnologyMilled (machine-made)
ShapeRound
Size36.0000 mm
Mass39.9403 g
OCC IDNRWK-ZOJN-CRLL-OXGL
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Five Pounds 1839 Una and the Lion: Photos
ImageDetails
Five Pounds 1839 Una and the Lion: Photo Pattern Coin - 5 Pounds, Queen Victoria, Great Britain, 1839 / thumbnail Pattern Coin - 5 Pounds, Queen Victoria, Great Britain, 1839
Copyright: Museums Victoria / CC BY
Author:
Source
Five Pounds 1839 Una and the Lion: Photo Pattern Coin - 5 Pounds, Queen Victoria, Great Britain, 1839 / thumbnail Pattern Coin - 5 Pounds, Queen Victoria, Great Britain, 1839
Copyright: Museums Victoria / CC BY
Author:
Source
Five Pounds 1839 Una and the Lion: Photo Great Britain 1839 5 pounds / thumbnail Great Britain 1839 5 pounds
Copyright: CoinFactsWiki / CC BY-SA
Author:
Source
Five Pounds 1839 Una and the Lion: Photo Great Britain 1839 5 pounds / thumbnail Great Britain 1839 5 pounds
Copyright: CoinFactsWiki / CC BY-SA
Author:
Source
Five Pounds 1839 Una and the Lion: Catalogue Reference IDs
SourceReference ID
Friedberg, Gold Coins of the WorldGreat Britain 243 (Lettered edge) and 244 (Plain)
Krause, Standard Catalog of World CoinsGreat Britain KM# 742
Spink, Coins of England and the United Kingdom3851
Relevant Links
Museums Victoria: Pattern Coin - 5 Pounds, Queen Victoria, Great Britain, 1839