![Victoria, Proof 'Gothic' Crown, 1847 'UNDECIMO' [ECM-271] - Image 2](https://colonialcoins.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/ECM-271-1.jpg)
Description
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Victoria of the House of Hanover, Queen of the United Kingdom 1837-1901 AD, Silver Proof ‘Gothic’ Crown (28.27g, 39mm), Year ‘mdcccxlvii’ (1847 AD), “UNDECIMO” edge. Obverse: ‘Gothic-style’ bust of Queen Victoria facing to the left, hair gathered and styled in a neat updo with a braided loop and wearing elaborate openwork Gothic-style Crown and richly embroidered bodice with square neckline, legend surrounds, “Victoria Dei gratia britanniar. reg: f:d·”. Reverse: The Royal Arms of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland displayed cruciform, each escutcheon surmounted by Saint Edward’s Crown, the national floral emblems of ‘Rose’ (for England), ‘Thistle’ (for Scotland), and ‘Shamrock’ (for Ireland) in each angle, Star of the Order of the Garter at centre inscribed with the Order’s motto “HONI SOIT QUI MAL Y PENSE”, all framed within a tressure of arches and over an ornate lattice design, inner lined border and legend surrounds, “tueatur unita Deus Anno Dom mdcccxlvii”. Edge: Inscription in raised letters, “decus et tutamen anno regni undecimo”. Bull-2571; S-3883. The illustrious ‘Gothic’ Crown of Queen Victoria, although the most frequently seen type with ‘UNDECIMO’ on edge, this piece offers highly reflective fields and ubiquitous detail, truly living up to its accolade as the ‘prettiest’ English coin, Fleur de Coin.
The obverse Latin legend reads unabridged as “Victoria, Deī grātiā, Britanniārum Rēgīna, Fideī Dēfēnstrīx”, with an English translation of “Victoria, by the grace of God, Queen of the British people, Defender of the Faith”. The Reverse Latin legend is stated as “tueātur ūnīta deus [rēgna], Annō Dominī mdcccxlvii”, with an English translation of “May God guard these united [Kingdoms], the year of our Lord 1847”. To the centre of the reverse, on the buckled garter of the Star of the Order of the Garter, is the motto of the British chivalric Order of the Garter and is stated in full in Middle French / Anglo-Norman as “honi soit qui mal y pense”, with an English meaning of “shame on anyone who thinks evil of it”. The Latin inscription on the edge is stated in full as “Decus et Tūtāmen, Annō Rēgnī ūndecimō”, with an English translation of “An Ornament and safeguard, Eleventh Regnal Year”.
