Tristan da Cunha: New gold and silver bullion coins mark King’s coronation with tribute to late Queen

Hover to zoom.

The treasury of Tristan Da Cunha has released gold and silver bullion quality coins, which, as well as being the year of the coronation of HM King Charles III, is also a special anniversary pertaining to the late Queen Elizabeth II. Released in 2023, the coins mark King Charles III’s coronation, which took place in May of this year. The coins are also a fitting and poignant tribute to mark what would have been Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Anniversary of her own coronation held in June 1953. The reverse designs are inspired by one of Great Britain’s most valuable and celebrated gold coins issued to mark the coronation and commencement of the reign of Queen Victoria in 1839. Known as Una and the Lion, the coins were designed by William Wyon (1795–1851), one of Britain’s most celebrated engravers whose inspiration was a character from Edmund Spenser’s poem The Faerie Queene published in 1590 and which was at the time a homage to Queen Elizabeth I. She was depicted in robes carrying her orb and sceptre, standing alongside a lion, a symbol of Great Britain. The release of the coin in 1839 also coincided with the 20th birthday of the young Queen Victoria and is considered the most beautiful coin ever released in Great Britain. The tribute and modern interpretation sees a standing Queen Elizabeth II with a lion by her side.

The reverse of both the gold and silver coins features the young Queen Elizabeth II as she appeared on her Coronation Day in 1953. Wearing the ornate coronation gown and St. Edward’s Crown, with orb and sceptre in hand, she stands regal and serene, the Lion of England as her companion and protector by her side, and is encircled by a Greco-Roman key meander border. The denomination of 25 POUNDS (gold) or 5 POUNDS (silver) is placed just below the primary design.

The obverse features the effigy of HM King Charles III designed by Jody Clark, who is also the creator of the fifth and last definitive effigy of HM Queen Elizabeth II, which was introduced onto British coinage in 2015. The text surrounding the King’s image reads TRISTAN DA CUNHA KING CHARLES III. The year of issue, 2023, is placed just below the effigy. Both the obverse and reverse include a background surface security pattern which catches the light when the coin is rotated under an ordinary source of light.

Denom.	Metal	Weight	Diameter	Quality	Mintage Limit
5 pounds	.999 Silver	62.2 g	38.6 mm	Bullion	n/a
25 pounds	.9999 Gold	7.78 g	22 mm	Bullion	n/a

The gold and silver bullion strike coins are available exclusively in the United States through American Hartford Gold & precious metals. For additional information, please click here for the gold coin or here for the silver coin.

❑