Enamelled coin

Physical description

Crown. Laureate head right. Pistrucci's St George and Dragon within Garter. 1820 edge LX . Seaby number 3787.
Enamelled coin (George 111) crown, 1820, mounted with a pin, Great Britain (c.1880)
Obverse: finely enamelled painting of St George in classical costume on a horse slaying a dragon on a silver gilt background. The design is set within a band of cobalt blue enamel in which is the following order of the garter ' HONI SOIT QUI MAL Y PENSE'
(Evil to him who evil thinks.)
Reverse: A portrait head of George III (laureate worn off). Just within the edge of the coin is the following inscription 'GEORGE III DG. BRITANNIARUM.REX.F.D. 1820. The edge of the coin has the following inscription in relief ' DECUS ET.TUTAMEN. ANNO REGNI LX'
(An ornament and a safeguard)

Pinfitting on the reverse with a safety chain.

Probably enamelled by Edwin Steele, a Birmingham enameller who was well known for producing pieces following the design of Saint George and the Dragon created by Benedetto Pistrucci (1784-1855) on the reverse of a five shilling piece or crown piece of the reign of George 111, George IV or Queen Victoria. Benedetto Pistrucci was an Italian gem engraver who had found favour with William Wellesley Pole, the Master of the Mint.

Place of Origin

UK (painted)

Date

1820
ca.1880 (striking)

Marks and inscriptions

'Honi Soit Qui Mal Y Pense' and 'Decus et Tutamen' Honi Soit Qui Mal Y Pense- Evil to him who evil thinks.
Decus et Tutammen - An ornament and a safeguard. 'This inscription on the edge of all early large milled silver was suggested by Evelyn, he having seen it on the vignette in card. Richelieu's Greek Testament, and of course refers to the device as a means to prevent clipping. (Virgil Aen v262.) This legend also appears on the edge of U.K. and Northern Ireland one pound coins. (Seaby p371)'.

Dimensions

Diameter: 3.7 cm, depth: 2.0 cm

Object history note

This coin formed part of a coin collection belonging to Professor Gordon Marshall Petersen, who died on 9 November 1996. Professor Petersen bequeathed his coin collection to the Victoria and Albert Museum.

Historical context note

Enamelled coins became fashionable in the 1880's in England. Edwin Steel, a Birmingham jeweller formed a company in 1886 to sell as jewellery coins he had enamelled. However in 1920 the enamelling of coins in England was prohibited by the gold and silver act which made it an offence to melt down or use otherwise than as currency any gold or silver coin.

Production Note

Reason For Production: retail

Collection code

MET