ONLY 999 MINTED!
SAINT HELENA, ASCENCION AND TRISTAN DA CUNHA BRITISH OVERSEAS TERRITORY - DEPENDENCY OF TRISTAN DA CUNHA
REIGN OF ELIZABETH II (1952-PRESENT) HOUSE OF WINDSOR
DIAMOND JUBILEE ISSUE - GOLD DOUBLE SOVEREIGN
CERTIFIED BY NGC PROOF 69 ULTRA CAMEO
OBV: CROWNED PORTRAIT HEAD OF ELIZABETH II RIGHT; DATE BELOW.
REV: WITHIN ORNATE GRECIAN STYLE ORNAMENTAL BORDER WITH INNER BEADING A FULL STANDING CROWNED AND ROBED 3/4 FACING PORTRAIT OF ELIZABETH II HOLDING SCEPTER UPRIGHT IN RIGHT HAND WITH ORB (GLOBUS CRUCIGER) IN LEFT PALM AND STANDING IN FRONT OF A MANED LION LEFT; DENOMINATION AROUND INNER BORDER BENEATH SOVEREIGN.
THIS COIN IS AN UPDATED VERSION OF THE RARE 1839 "UNA AND THE LION" COIN (KM # 742), WHICH IS CONSIDERED BY MANY TO BE THE MOST FAMOUS AND ATTRACTIVE OF BRITISH COINS.
THE THEME OF THE ORIGINAL £5 GOLD COIN WAS BASED ON A 1590 POEM BY EDMUND SPENSER ENTITLED, "THE FAERIE QUEENE". IT DEPICTED THE YOUNG QUEEN VICTORIA (REIGNED 1837-1901) AS A FICTIONAL CHARACTER, THE LADY UNA, A PRINCESS WHOSE COMPANION AND PROTECTOR WAS A LION. "THE FAERIE QUEEN" IS AN ALLEGORICAL POEM, ONE OF THE LONGEST IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE, THAT CELEBRATES THE TUDOR DYNASTY AND PRAISES ELIZABETH I "GLORIANA" (REIGNED 1558-1603). THE VICTORIAN COIN WAS DESIGNED BY WILLIAM WYON (CHIEF ENGRAVER OF THE ROYAL MINT 1828-1851), TO COMMEMORATE THE BEGINNING OF VICTORIA'S REIGN, AND WAS THE LIGHTEST OF ALL £5 COINS.
THIS TRISTAN DA CUNHA GOLD DOUBLE SOVEREIGN COIN WAS STRUCK TO HONOR THE 2012 DIAMOND (60th ANNIVERSARY) JUBILEE OF QUEEN ELIZABETH II.
CONTAINS 16 GRAMS OF .917 FINE GOLD (.4718 OZ AGW)
32 MM IN DIAMETER
ONLY 999 MINTED!
COMMONWEALTH MINT
