2024 Una and the Lion 1 oz Gold Minted Bar

These 2024 Una and the Lion 1 oz Gold Bar are issued by the Royal Mint. These are the first design in a new series of gold and silver bars featuring Una and the Lion, inspired by the popular 16th-century English epic poem titled 'The Faerie Queene'.

These are the first landscape orientated bars produced by The Royal Mint.

• Fineness: 24 carat gold / 999.9
• Contains 1 troy ounce of gold
• Weight: 1 oz
• Presentation: Royal Mint blister packaging
• Security Authentication: Each bar has a unique serial number

See our complete Royal Mint bar collection.

Royal Mint Official Partner

Chards is an official partner of The Royal Mint. Our 2024 Una and the Lion bar range, among other Royal Mint products, are sourced directly from their mint headquarters in Llantrisant, Wales.

What Is the Faerie Queene Poem?

The 'Faerie Queene' poem is an English work by Edmund Spenser, first published in 1590, which included books one to three. It was republished six years later with books IV to V, completing the epic poem which comprised of over 36,000 lines.

The 'Faerie Queene' consists of six distinct poems, each with its own narrative that follows the adventures of different knights, such as the Redcross Knight in Book 1.

Una and the Lion Significance in ‘The Faerie Queen' Poem

Una, daughter of the King and Queen, loves the protagonist, the 'Redcross Knight,' whom she eventually marries. After their kingdom is overthrown by a dragon, the evil wizard Archimago deceives the Redcross Knight into leaving Una by tricking him into believing she was unfaithful.

Lady Una embarks on a quest alone but is protected by a lion, who later sacrifices itself to save her. Brothers Sansfoy (without faith), Sansjoy (without joy), and Sansloy (without law) oppose the Redcross Knight, with the latter two slain. Book I concludes with the Redcross Knight slaying the dragon and intending to marry Una, thwarting Archimago's final attempt to deceive him.

The obverse of the bar shows the Royal Mint logo, with the weight and purity. Similar to the obverse, the background includes a swirling pattern.

1 oz 999.9

FINE GOLD

The reverse of the bar features Una extending her right arm outward, with the lion strolling past her in the direction she is pointing. This possibly showcases the turning point at which the lion sees her beauty and decides to become her ally on her journey.

Additionally, the bar features a swirling pattern in the background and bears lettering at the base of the design, which reads as follows:

DIRIGE DEUS GRESSUS MEOS

English Translation: ‘May God direct my steps’