2019 Great Engravers Una and the Lion £1000 2-Kilo Silver Proof Great Britain NGC First Release PR70
Great Britain 2019 Silver £1000 (1000 Pounds) Una and the Lion 2-Kilo First Releases NGC Proof-70 UC (#5, with Numbered Certificate of Authenticity & Original Government Packaging
2019 Great Engravers Una and the Lion £1000 2-Kilo Silver Proof Great Britain NGC First Release PR70
This coin being offered is numbered #05 a few of the other denominations in silver and gold have appeared on the secondary market and attracted spirited bidding.
Meanwhile, a £2000 2-Kilo Gold coin, graded NGC Proof-70 UC, realized $360,000 in January 2021.
The £1000 2-Kilo Silver #7 realized $58,800 on April, 2021 Great Collections, Item #972545.
NGC-certified 2019 ‘Una and the Lion’ Offered in First-Ever Auction | NGC (ngccoin.com)
The coin also comes with the original Royal Mint wooden presentation case and its numbered (05) Certificate of Authenticity.
Only 40 of this impressive issue have been produced by the Royal Mint.
NGC has certified 23 examples as PR70, with 5 as PR69. The other 12 could have been retained in the original mint packaging.
The Great Engravers of the United Kingdom, the Royal Mint released a special series of Limited Issue coins struck in solid fine 999.9 Gold Proof and solid fine .999 Silver Proof condition.
The first coin new collector series entitled the “Great Engravers" is a modern re-interpretation of one of the world’s most beautiful coins, the iconic Una and the Lion Five Pound piece by William Wyon, issued in 1839 for inclusion in the first specimen coin sets of Queen Victoria's reign.
The obverse of the original showed the young portrait of Queen Victoria, also by Royal Mint engraver William Wyon (1795 - 1851). The reverse draws its theme from Edmund Spenser’s epic poem entitled the Faerie Queene, first published in 1590 during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, and depicts the Queen as Una guiding the British lion. There is a powerful contrast between the restrained energy conveyed by the lion and the peace and grace of the standing figure of Una
In small letters below the head, the artist's initials J.C (for Jody Clark).
Running continuously around the effigy is the monarch's legend: ELIZABETH II · D · G · REG · F · D · 1000 POUNDS ·. Translated from Latin: Elizabeth the Second, by the Grace of God, Queen, Defender of the Faith, followed by the value and denomination in English.
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).
In exergue, the date of issue in Latin numerals: MMXIX. (2019).
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).
The Royal Mint says:
"Widely acclaimed as one of the world’s most beautiful coins, Una and the Lion is a triumph of numismatic art, testament to William Wyon’s exquisite skill. One of the greatest engravers to have ever worked on British coinage, a modern interpretation pays homage to this classic design. Struck using dies remastered from the original, almost 200 years after it first appeared, Wyon’s masterpiece is brought to life once more."