Description
Edward VII of the House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, King of the United Kingdom 1901-1910 AD, Silver Crown, 1902, Royal mint London. Obverse: Bare Head of King Edward VII facing to the right, engraver’s initials ‘DES.’ (George William De Saulles) below, legend surrounds, “EDWARDVS VII DEI GRA: BRITT: OMN: REX FID: DEF: IND: IMP:”. Reverse: Saint George of Lydda, bare except for his plumed helmet and billowing cloak, rears his horse above the defeated Dragon of Silene, ready to finish his foe with his sword, his lance, Ascalon, remains half embedded in its torso and the shaft rests to the left on the exergual ground-line; engraver’s initials ‘B.P.’ (Benedetto Pistrucci) and date in exergue. Edge: Inscription in raised letters, “DECUS ET TUTAMEN ANNO REGNI II”. Spink-3978; Bull-3560; ESC-361. Certified and graded by NGC as Almost Uncirculated 58.
The obverse Latin legend is the royal titulature of King Edward VII, reading unabridged as “Edwardus septimus, Deī grātiā, Britanniārum Omnium Rēx, Fideī Dēfēnsor, Indiae Imperātor”, with an English translation of “Edward the Seventh, by the Grace of God, King of all the British People, Defender of the Faith, Emperor of India”. The edge Latin legend is stated in full and reads “Decus et tūtāmen, annō regni Secundus”, with an English translation of “an ornament and safeguard, second regnal year”.