Obverse. Photo © Royal Mint
  • 1 Sovereign 2023, United Kingdom (Great Britain), Charles III, Coronation of Charles III
  • 1 Sovereign 2023, United Kingdom (Great Britain), Charles III, Coronation of Charles III
  • 1 Sovereign 2023, United Kingdom (Great Britain), Charles III, Coronation of Charles III, Box with a certificate of authenticity
Description

The 2023 Charles III Coronation range from The Royal Mint features £5 coins, a new 50p and a range of troy-ounce coins struck in silver and gold. There's even a special gold Sovereign, due to be struck on the day of His Majesty's coronation. All coins in the range feature the world’s first official crowned coinage portrait of King Charles III, specially created for this occasion.

Obverse

Depicts crowned King Charles III’s effigy adorned with the so-called Tudor Crown, surrounded by the Latin inscription. Engraver's initials on the neck.

The real Tudor Crown was destroyed in the seventeenth century but a stylised representation also known as the King's Crown or Imperial Crown is still used in heraldry, including as part of The King's royal cypher. While various crown symbols had been used for this purpose for many years previously, the specific Tudor Crown design was standardised at the request of Edward VII. It was never intended to represent any actual physical crown, although in shape it bears a close resemblance to the small diamond crown of Queen Victoria.

CHARLES III DEI GRATIA REX FIDEI DEFENSOR means King Charles III, by the Grace of God King, Defender of the Faith.

Engraver: Martin Jennings (MJ)

• CHARLES III • DEI • GRA • REX • FID • DEF
MJ

Reverse

Depicts St. George on horseback holding short sword, the horse rearing to right over a fallen dragon which has a broken lance in its chest; in exergue, the date and the artist's initials B.P.

Saint George (between 275–281 AD to 23 April 303), according to legend, was a Roman soldier of Greek origin and officer in the Guard of Roman emperor Diocletian, who was sentenced to death for failing to recant his Christian faith.

According to the legend, the narrative episode of Saint George and the Dragon took place somewhere he called "Silene", in Libya. The town had a small lake with a plague-bearing dragon living in it and poisoning the countryside. To appease the dragon, the people of Silene fed it two sheep every day. When they ran out of sheep they started feeding it their children, chosen by lottery. One time the lot fell on the king's daughter. The king, in his grief, told the people they could have all his gold and silver and half of his kingdom if his daughter were spared; the people refused. The daughter was sent out to the lake, dressed as a bride, to be fed to the dragon.

Saint George by chance rode past the lake. The princess tried to send him away, but he vowed to remain. The dragon emerged from the lake while they were conversing. Saint George made the Sign of the Cross and charged it on horseback, seriously wounding it with his lance. He then called to the princess to throw him her girdle, and he put it around the dragon's neck. When she did so, the dragon followed the girl like a meek beast on a leash.

The princess and Saint George led the dragon back to the city of Silene, where it terrified the populace. Saint George offered to kill the dragon if they consented to become Christians and be baptised. Fifteen thousand men including the king of Silene converted to Christianity. George then killed the dragon, and the body was carted out of the city on four ox-carts. The king built a church to the Blessed Virgin Mary and Saint George on the site where the dragon died and a spring flowed from its altar with water that cured all disease.

Engraver: Benedetto Pistrucci

2023 B.P.

Edge
Characteristics
Type Commemorative Issue (Non-circulating)
Material Gold
Fineness 0.91667
Weight 7.99 g
Diameter 22.05 mm
Thickness -
Shape round
Alignment Medal
Mint
Royal Mint

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