"THE SMITHSONIAN COLLECTION" PRIVATE MEDALLIC ISSUE
2012 SMITHSONIAN ISSUE 1 OZ GOLD
"LONDON AND THE LION"
FROM AN 1872 SKETCH BY GEORGE T. MORGAN
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CERTIFIED BY NGC GEM PROOF ULTRA CAMEO
OBV: WITHIN CIRCLE A PORTRAIT BUST OF QUEEN VICTORIA WITH TIARA AND VEIL; BIRMINGHAM, COMMONWEALTH MINT, AND FINENESS HALLMARKS & SMITHSIONIAN INSTITUTE PRIVY MARK LOWER LEFT; DATE "1872" AT BOTTOM.
REV: 3/4 FACING FEMALE ALLEGORICAL FIGURE OF BRITANNIA WEARING CLASSICAL CRESTED HELMET, WITH RIGHT ARM AND INDEX FINGER RAISED SKYWARD, LEFT HAND RESTING ON MANE OF LION BEHIND RIGHT; AT LEFT AND FACING BRITANNIA A FULL STANDING FEMALE REPRESENTATION OF THE CITY OF LONDON WEARING MURAL CROWN, HOLDING OVAL SHIELD WITH THE CITY ARMS WITH RIGHT HAND AND PLACING LEFT HAND ON BRITANNIA'S SHOULDER; A CHERUB WITH LYRE ACCOMPANIES LONDON LEFT AND THE FACADE OF ST. PAUL'S CATHEDRAL AT RIGHT; LEGEND IN EXERGUE "LONDON, FEBRUARY 28th 1872".
GEORGE T. MORGAN WAS BORN IN BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND IN 1845. HE WORKED FOR MANY YEARS AT J.S. & A.B. WYON, AS A DIE ENGRAVER. HE IMMIGRATED TO THE UNITED STATES IN 1876, AND WAS HIRED THAT YEAR BY THE U.S. MINT, AS AN ASSISTANT ENGRAVER TO WILLIAM BARBER. THE SKETCH OF "LONDON & THE LION" WAS MADE BEFORE HE CAME TO AMERICA. MORGAN'S DATED SKETCH WAS FOUND IN THE VAULTS OF THE SMITHSONIAN ISTITUTION.
CONTAINS 31.1 GRAMS OF 999.0 FINE GOLD - 1 TROY OUNCE
34 MM IN DIAMETER
DESIGNED BY GEORGE T. MORGAN
STRUCK AT THE COMMONWEALTH MINT, LONDON
