William Wyon

1795–1851 · Chief Engraver, Royal Mint (1828–1851)

Patriarch of the Wyon dynasty of British coin engravers. Designed the Young Head portrait of Queen Victoria used on circulating coinage from 1838 to 1887, and the famous "Una and the Lion" pattern five-pound piece of 1839, widely regarded as the most beautiful British coin ever struck. Wyon's portraits set the standard for a young, regal monarch image that influenced UK coin design for decades.

£319,920
131
Coins in catalogue
18
Decades active
Queen Victoria five pound piece, obverse portrait
A Queen Victoria five pound piece, obverse.Image: Five Pound Piece: Portrait of Queen Victoria (obverse) by William Wyon (British, 1795–1851), Cleveland Museum of Art, CC0 1.0

Notable works

Young Head Victoria portrait On circulating sixpence to crown 1838–1887.
1839 "Una and the Lion" £5 pattern Six-figure auction realisations; arguably the finest British coin ever made.
1843 "Gothic" crown Ornate Gothic-script Victorian portrait.

William Wyon coins in our catalogue (131)

Coins where William Wyon is credited as the obverse or reverse designer. Click any coin for full grade-by-grade prices, mintage, and reference images. Grouped by decade.

1810s 4 coins

1 Crown - George III 'Three Graces' Pattern 1817 · £126,216 1 Crown - George III Pattern; Silver 1817 · £149,600 1 Crown - George III Pattern; Gold 1817 · £316,800 ½ Sovereign - George III 1817–1820 · 2,080,197 · £3,623

1820s 13 coins

1 Farthing - George IV 1st issue 1821–1826 · 2,688,000 · £219 ½ Crown - George IV 2nd portrait; 3rd reverse 1824–1829 · £2,416 1 Crown - George IV Uniface Pattern 1825 · £9,100 1 Crown - George IV 2nd portrait 1825–1826 · £12,833 1 Penny - George IV 2nd issue 1825–1827 · 1,075,200 · £472 1 Shilling - George IV 2nd portrait; 3rd reverse 1825–1829 · 2,459,160 · £6,039 1 Sovereign - George IV Uniface Pattern 1825 1 Sovereign - George IV 1825–1830 · £16,054 ½ Penny - George IV 1825–1827 · 215,040 · £480 ½ Sovereign - George IV Pattern 1825 1 Farthing - George IV 2nd issue 1826–1830 · 6,666,240 · £320 ½ Sovereign - George IV 1826–1828 · 344,830 · £11,323 6 Pence - George IV 3rd reverse 1826–1829 · 689,040 · £539

1830s 28 coins

1 Sovereign - William IV Pattern 1830 · £25,000 1 Crown - William IV Pattern 1831 · £39,000 1 Sovereign - William IV 1831–1837 · 598,547 · £19,000 ½ Sovereign - William IV small type 1831–1834 · £4,350 2 Pounds - William IV 1831 · 225 · £29,945 · Key ½ Sovereign - William IV large type 1835–1837 · 772,554 · £300 4 Pence - William IV Pattern 1836 · £31 4 Pence - William IV 1836–1837 · 4,253,040 · £698 1 Sovereign - Victoria Pattern 1837 · £74,200 4 Pence - Victoria 1st portrait 1837–1862 · £112 1 Farthing - Victoria 1st portrait 1838–1864 · 591,360 · £203 1 Penny - Victoria 1st portrait; Maundy issues 1838–1887 · 8,976 1 Shilling - Victoria 1st portrait; 'Young Head' 1838–1887 · 1,956,240 · £280 1 Sovereign - Victoria 1st portrait; Shield 1838–1874 · 2,718,694 · £26,000 ½ Penny - Victoria 1st portrait 1838–1860 · 456,960 · £350 ½ Sovereign - Victoria 1st portrait 1838–1885 · 273,341 · £4,907 1½ Pence - Victoria 1st portrait; Colonial issue 1838–1870 · 539,000 2 Pence - Victoria 1st portrait; Colonial and Maundy issues 1838–1887 · 1,045,000 3 Pence - Victoria 1st portrait; incl. Maundy and Colonial 1838–1887 · 1,200,000 · Key 4 Pence - Victoria 1st portrait; Maundy issues 1838–1887 · 4,158 6 Pence - Victoria 1st portrait; 1st type 1838–1868 · 1,607,760 · £280 1 Crown - Victoria 1st portrait 1839–1847 · £159,960 1 Farthing - Victoria 1st portrait; bronzed 1839–1853 · £700 1 Penny - Victoria 1st portrait; bronzed 1839 · 300 · £2,869 · Key ½ Crown - Victoria 1st portrait; 1st type 1839–1864 · £11,660 ½ Farthing - Victoria 1st portrait; incl. Colonial 1839–1856 · 2,042,880 · £3 ½ Penny - Victoria 1st portrait; bronzed 1839 · £1,208 5 Pounds - Victoria 1st portrait; 'Una and the Lion' 1839 · 400 · £319,920 · Key

1840s 4 coins

1 Penny - Victoria 1st portrait 1841–1860 · 913,920 · £340 1 Crown - Victoria 'Gothic' type 1847–1853 · 8,000 · £29,150 · Key 1 Florin - Victoria Pattern 1848 1 Florin - Victoria 1st portrait; 'Godless' type 1848–1849 · £985

1850s 1 coins

1 Florin - Victoria 1st portrait; 'Gothic' type 1851–1887 · 1,014,552 · £1,653

1860s 6 coins

1 Farthing - Victoria 2nd portrait; 1st type 1860–1873 · 2,867,200 · £1,100 1 Penny - Victoria 2nd portrait; 1st type 1860–1874 · 5,053,440 · £7,400 ½ Penny - Victoria 2nd portrait; 1st type 1860–1874 · 6,630,400 · £211 6 Pence - Victoria 1st portrait; 2nd type 1867–1880 · 1,362,240 · £140 ½ Farthing - Victoria Copper-nickel Pattern 1868 1 Sovereign - Victoria Pattern 1869 · £499

1870s 6 coins

1 Sovereign - Victoria Pattern 1870 · £699 1 Sovereign - Victoria 1st portrait; St George 1871–1885 · 8,767,250 · £23,402 1 Farthing - Victoria 2nd portrait; 2nd type 1874–1895 · 3,584,000 · £18 1 Penny - Victoria 2nd portrait; 2nd type 1874–1894 · 12,288,105 · £211 ½ Crown - Victoria 1st portrait; 2nd type 1874–1887 · 2,188,599 · £1,802 ½ Penny - Victoria 2nd portrait; 2nd type 1874–1894 · 5,017,600 · £1,700

1880s 7 coins

6 Pence - Victoria 1st portrait; 3rd type 1880–1887 · £88 1 Florin - Victoria Boehm portrait; Pattern 1887 · £2,719 1 Florin - Victoria 2nd portrait 1887–1892 · 1,233,378 · £1,774 ½ Crown - Victoria 2nd portrait 1887–1892 · 1,176,200 · £1,660 2 Florins - Victoria 2nd portrait; 'Double Florin' 1887–1890 · 483,300 · £1,812 6 Pence - Victoria 2nd portrait; 1st reverse 1887 · 3,675,600 · £1,812 4 Pence - Victoria 2nd portrait; Colonial issue 1888 · 120,000 · £63

1890s 3 coins

1 Penny - Victoria Pattern; 3rd Portrait 1895 · £3,017 1 Penny - Victoria 3rd portrait 1895–1901 · 5,395,830 · £350 ½ Penny - Victoria 3rd portrait 1895–1901 · 3,032,154 · £76

1900s 3 coins

1 Farthing - Edward VII 1902–1910 · 5,125,100 · £13 1 Penny - Edward VII 1902–1910 · 26,976,768 · £210 ½ Penny - Edward VII 1902–1910 · 13,672,900 · £918

1910s 3 coins

1 Farthing - George V 1911–1925 · 5,196,800 · £8 1 Penny - George V 1911–1926 · 23,079,168 · £30,100 ½ Penny - George V 1st portrait 1911–1925 · 12,570,880 · £60

1920s 5 coins

½ Penny - George V modified effigy 1925–1927 · 12,216,123 · £38 1 Farthing - George V modified effigy 1926–1936 · 9,792,397 · £6 1 Penny - George V modified effigy 1926–1927 · 4,498,519 · £43 · Key 1 Penny - George V smaller portrait 1928–1936 · 50,178,000 · £93 ½ Penny - George V smaller portrait 1928–1936 · 20,935,200 · £16

1930s 1 coins

1 Penny - George VI with 'IND:IMP' 1937–1948 · 88,896,000 · £79

1940s 1 coins

1 Penny - George VI without 'IND:IMP' 1949–1952 · 14,324,400 · £42

1950s 2 coins

1 Penny - Elizabeth II 1st portrait; with 'BRITT:OMN' 1953 · 1,308,400 · £64 · Key 1 Penny - Elizabeth II 1st portrait; without 'BRITT:OMN' 1954–1970 · 48,313,400 · £30

1960s 1 coins

50 Cents - Elizabeth II Decimal Pattern 1961

2010s 10 coins

10 Pounds - Elizabeth II Queen Victoria and Prince Albert; Gold Proof 2019 · 70 10 Pounds - Elizabeth II Queen Victoria and Prince Albert; Silver Proof 2019 · 478 1000 Pounds - Elizabeth II Queen Victoria and Prince Albert; Gold Proof 2019 · 12 1000 Pounds - Elizabeth II Una and The Lion; Gold Proof 2019 · 12 1000 Pounds - Elizabeth II Una and The Lion; Silver Proof 2019 · 39 · £6,605 200 Pounds - Elizabeth II Una and The Lion; Gold Proof 2019 · 225 2000 Pounds - Elizabeth II Una and The Lion; Gold Proof 2019 · 4 500 Pounds - Elizabeth II Queen Victoria and Prince Albert; Silver Proof 2019 · 44 500 Pounds - Elizabeth II Una and The Lion; Gold Proof 2019 · 65 · £82,500 5000 Pounds - Elizabeth II Una and The Lion; Gold Proof 2019 · 1

2020s 33 coins

10 Pounds - Elizabeth II The Three Graces; Silver Piedfort 2020 10 Pounds - Elizabeth II The Three Graces; Silver Proof 2020 · £2,190 1000 Pounds - Elizabeth II The Three Graces; Gold Proof 2020 1000 Pounds - Elizabeth II The Three Graces; Silver Proof 2020 · £4,718 200 Pounds - Elizabeth II The Three Graces; Gold Proof 2020 · £12,250 2000 Pounds - Elizabeth II The Three Graces; Gold Proof 2020 3000 Pounds - Elizabeth II The Three Graces; Gold Proof 2020 500 Pounds - Elizabeth II The Three Graces; Gold Proof 2020 · £24,000 500 Pounds - Elizabeth II The Three Graces; Silver Proof 2020 · £5,287 5000 Pounds - Elizabeth II The Three Graces; Gold Proof 2020 10 Pounds - Elizabeth II Gothic Crown Portrait; Silver Piedfort 2021 10 Pounds - Elizabeth II Gothic Crown Portrait; Silver Proof 2021 · £626 10 Pounds - Elizabeth II Gothic Crown Quartered Arms; Silver Piedfort 2021 10 Pounds - Elizabeth II Gothic Crown Quartered Arms; Silver Proof 2021 · £410 1000 Pounds - Elizabeth II Gothic Crown Portrait; Gold Proof 2021 1000 Pounds - Elizabeth II Gothic Crown Portrait; Silver Proof 2021 1000 Pounds - Elizabeth II Gothic Crown Quartered Arms; Gold Proof 2021 1000 Pounds - Elizabeth II Gothic Crown Quartered Arms; Silver Proof 2021 10000 Pounds - Elizabeth II Gothic Crown Portrait; Gold Proof 2021 10000 Pounds - Elizabeth II Gothic Crown Quartered Arms; Gold Proof 2021 200 Pounds - Elizabeth II Gothic Crown Portrait; Gold Proof 2021 · £7,250 200 Pounds - Elizabeth II Gothic Crown Quartered Arms; Gold Proof 2021 · £6,000 2000 Pounds - Elizabeth II Gothic Crown Portrait; Gold Proof 2021 2000 Pounds - Elizabeth II Gothic Crown Quartered Arms; Gold Proof 2021 500 Pounds - Elizabeth II Gothic Crown Portrait; Gold Piedfort 2021 500 Pounds - Elizabeth II Gothic Crown Portrait; Gold Proof 2021 500 Pounds - Elizabeth II Gothic Crown Portrait; Silver Proof 2021 500 Pounds - Elizabeth II Gothic Crown Quartered Arms; Gold Piedfort 2021 500 Pounds - Elizabeth II Gothic Crown Quartered Arms; Gold Proof 2021 500 Pounds - Elizabeth II Gothic Crown Quartered Arms; Silver Proof 2021 500 Pounds - Elizabeth II Three Graces; Gold Piedfort 2021 5000 Pounds - Elizabeth II Gothic Crown Portrait; Gold Proof 2021 5000 Pounds - Elizabeth II Gothic Crown Quartered Arms; Gold Proof 2021
WatchThe Three Graces by Great Engraver William Wyon - 2oz SIlver Edition from AlderneyWilliam Wyon's Three Graces design reviewed (Numistacker) Video: Numistacker on YouTube

Other UK coin designers

Benedetto Pistrucci William Wyon Leonard Charles Wyon Bertram Mackennal Mary Gillick Arnold Machin Raphael Maklouf Ian Rank-Broadley Jody Clark Martin Jennings Christopher Le Brun Christopher Ironside Matthew Dent Stephen Taylor Edwina Ellis Bruce Rushin Stephen Raw

Related