Una and the Lion Bullion Gold and Silver Coins

Una and the Lion is often called the most beautiful British coin ever made. First engraved by William Wyon in 1839, the design has been remastered by The Royal Mint for its 2027 bullion range and struck in fine gold and fine silver.

You'll find all our Una and the Lion bullion products below, from the 1oz and 1/10oz gold coins to the 1oz silver coin.

The story of Una and the lion

Una and the lion come from The Faerie Queene, an epic poem by Edmund Spenser first published in 1590. Una is a princess whose parents, a king and queen, are imprisoned by a dragon. On her quest to free them, she meets a fierce lion. Moved by her beauty and innocence, the lion becomes her champion and protector.

In the poem, Una stands for truth. Her calm power over the lion made the story a favourite with Victorian artists, including the animal painter Briton Rivière.

William Wyon's 1839 masterpiece

William Wyon became Chief Engraver at The Royal Mint in 1828, and in 1838 he became the first medallist to be elected an associate of the Royal Academy. His portraits of Queen Victoria appeared on her coins for decades.

In 1839, Wyon designed a gold £5 coin to complete a set celebrating Victoria's coronation. He showed the young Queen as Una, crowned and holding a sceptre as she guides the lion. Around the design he placed the Latin words 'DIRIGE DEUS GRESSUS MEOS', meaning 'May God direct my steps'. Only around 400 of these coins were struck, and in 2020 one sold at auction for almost €1 million.

The 2027 bullion range

The Royal Mint revived Una and the Lion in 2019 as the first design in its Great Engravers collection. For 2027, it has remastered Wyon's engraving in exquisite detail for its bullion range. The range includes:

• A 1oz gold coin, struck in 999.9 fine gold and measuring 32.69mm
• A 1/10oz gold coin, struck in 999.9 fine gold and measuring 16.50mm
• A 1oz silver coin, struck in 999 fine silver and measuring 38.61mm

Every coin carries the official portrait of King Charles III by Martin Jennings on the obverse. The reverse uses surface animation for extra security, and the date appears as 'MMXXVII', echoing the Roman numeral date on Wyon's original.

VAT and Capital Gains Tax

The gold coins count as investment gold, so they're free from VAT in the UK. VAT at the standard rate applies to the new silver coin.

All three coins are UK legal tender, so for UK residents they're exempt from Capital Gains Tax. We can explain the tax facts, but we can't give personal financial advice.

Buy from an Official Partner of The Royal Mint

Gold Traders is an Official Partner of The Royal Mint, and the only one based in the South West. We buy our new coins directly from the mint, and our own team packs and dispatches every order by secure courier. You can also collect your order from our Royal Wootton Bassett branch.

To learn more about the design's history, read our sister company's in-depth article on William Wyon's Una and the Lion.