Owner Comments:
GT.BRITAIN, VICTORIA Veiled Head, 1894 GOLD SOVEREIGN
(Marsh 146; S 3874).
OBVERSE: Bust of the Queen facing left, crowned, veiled and draped, wearing ribbon and star of the Garter. The small letters T.B. appear below the bust.
REVERSE: St. George mounted with streamer flowing from helmet, slaying the dragon with sword. The date is shown below the exergue line with the small letters B.P. to right.
DESIGNER: Obverse: Thomas Brock. Reverse: Benedetto Pistrucci.
DIAMETER: 22.05mm.
WEIGHT: 7.998g.
FINENESS: 22ct.
EDGE: Milled.
MINTAGE: 3,782,611
RARITY: C (M.Marsh)
The Last Coinage of Queen Victoria.
It was decided by a Royal Mint committee in February 1891 that the unpopular Jubilee portrait was no longer appropriate and something new was required. Fellows of the Royal Academy were called upon to submit ideas and designs, and the following made submissions:- Edward Onslow Ford ARA sculptor, Edward J Poynter RA painter, Henry N Armstead RA sculptor, Charles A Birch ARA sculptor, Thomas Brock RA sculptor, W Hamo Thornycroft RA sculptor. Interestingly Poynter had been one of the harsh critics of the Jubilee design, so now had a chance to literally prove how good a coin designer he himself was. However, Thomas Brock’s design won the day and the new older “widow” bust with heavy veil appeared for currency in 1893 to great acclaim. The design was engraved in metal from the designs by the Chief Engraver, George W De Saulles, who later went on to design the obverse for the King Edward VII coinage. Brock’s initials appear below the bust and the titles now significantly include the Empress of India and read thus victoria d:g: britt: reg: f: d: ind: imp: Again the coins are struck en médaille with an upright die axis and the St.George reverse continues effectively unchanged except in the smallest details, which can vary from die to die. The edges are of course milled.
The Reign of Queen Victoria (House of Hanover) 1837-1901.
Born: 24 May 1819.
Accession: 20 June 1837.
Married: Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, 10 February 1840.
Coronation: Thursday 28 June 1838.
Children: four sons, five daughters.
Died: 22 January 1901, aged 81.
1894 GOLD SOVEREIGN MS 63
Choice UNC with full strike, clear surfaces and original luster.
Purchased from ebay 15 August 2011.
Pedigree: Cheshire Collection.
NGC: Pop of two with two grading higher (64).