United Kingdom: Coin Five Pounds 1839 (Proof only) - detailed information

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

It was ultimately 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.

This large, glamorous type always makes the front cover of any auction catalog in which it appears.

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

Victoria standing holding orb in left hand and directing lion to left with sceptre extended in right hand; in exergue, MDCCCXXXIX / W.WYON R.A.; around, DIRIGE DEUS GRESSUS MEOS (translation, May the Lord direct my steps; some coins say DIRIGIT instead of DIRIGE - The Lord directs my steps).

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."