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

Head of Queen Victoria facing to left; around, VICTORIA D: G: BRITANNIARUM REGINA F: D:; raised on base of neck, W.WYON, R.A.

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).

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."

The reverse design was re-issued in 2019 as part of the “Great Engravers" coin series, in several formats:
- Silver Two Ounces, face value £5
- Gold Two Ounces, face value £200
- Gold Five Ounces, face value £500
- Gold Kilo, face value £1,000
- Gold Two Kilos, face value £2,000
- Gold Five Kilos, face value £5,000