As Halloween is upon us, we’ve come to the conclusion that the Gothic Crown is one of the most hauntingly beautiful coins to showcase at this spooky time of year.
Reflecting the stunning Gothic style of the Victoria era, the coin has been a firm favourite with collectors for many years, and with such a low mintage, it is as sought-after as it is intricately designed.
During the Victorian era, specifically in the mid nineteenth century the gothic style was revived. The Victorians revered the chivalry and romance associated with the style. So much so that it grew to influence aspects of Victorian life including architecture, literature, furniture, clothing and coinage. The Gothic style was wildly popular during the Victorian era, appearing not just on the coin’s people used but also in the buildings they lived and worked.
Introduced in 1847 on the silver crown, the outstanding Gothic portrait was created by William Wyon, former Chief Engraver at the Royal Mint. Queen Victoria was portrayed in a medieval style, representing the fanciful splendour of the era. She faces left and wears an ornate crown and its tip cuts through the border of trefoil which arcs around the coin’s inner edge. The inscription, which is placed below the arching trefoil, is in a medieval gothic style font in upper and lower case.
Queen Victoria wears a dress embroidered with roses representing England, thistles representing Scotland and Shamrocks which represent Ireland. This was the first time since the coinage of Charles II that a monarch wore a crown on British coinage.
Only 8,000 Gothic Crowns were issued in 1847 and it remains one of the world’s most beautiful and rarest coins in the world. We currently have extremely limited stock of this majestic coin from an important era of British history.
Explore the coinage of the long-reigning and popular monarch Queen Victoria here.
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