Victoria Five-pound Coins
The next coin of this value did not appear until early in the reign of Queen Victoria, when one of the most famous and attractive of all British coins was produced, colloquially known as the Una and the Lion coin. Una and the Lion are characters in Spenser's The Faerie Queene, this five pounds piece has acquired a cult significance among collectors: the obverse shows the young head of the Queen, facing left with the legend, while the reverse shows Queen Victoria as Una leading the lion to the left, with the legend – May the Lord direct my steps (some coins say DIRIGIT instead of DIRIGE – The Lord directs my steps) – with the date MDCCCXXXIX in the exergue under the lion. The edge may either have the inscription or be plain. This issue is the lightest of all the £5 coins, weighing only 38.7–39.3 grams.
The next appearance of the denomination was not until 1887, when the Jubilee head was used with the obverse inscription, while the reverse shows Pistrucci's design of Saint George slaying the dragon, with the only legend being the date in the exergue. The edge of this coin is milled, and it weighs 40 grams. This coin was also (rarely) produced in the mint at Sydney, Australia, which is identified by the letter "S" above the centre of the date.
The Pistrucci reverse was used again in 1893, when the obverse used the "Old Head" of the queen, with the legend, and the edge is again milled.
Read more about this topic: Five Pounds (British Gold Coin)
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