Bicentenary of Queen Victoria: Great Seal on Horseback - 2019 Unc. Cupro Nickel Coin

Born on 24th May 1819 at Kensington Palace, Victoria was christened ‘Alexandrina Victoria’ but from birth was formally addressed as Her Royal Highness Princess Victoria of Kent.  Victoria’s first language was German but at the young age of three years she learnt to speak English and French.  She became Queen Victoria at 18 years of age and was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20th June 1837 until her death on 22nd January 1901.  Her reign of 63 years, seven months and two days was longer than that of any of her predecessors.  The Victorian Era was a period of great change in Britain, with the Empire expanding to the largest that had ever existed, ruling nearly a quarter of the world’s population.

Captain James Cook first landed on South Georgia in 1775 and claimed the island for Great Britain. The claim was then formalized in 1843 by the issuing of Letters Patent. These Legal documents issued by the Monarch enabled the formal creation of a government for the islands. Letters Patent are made official with the inclusion of the Great Seal of the Realm.  This is created when sealing wax is melted into a metal mould and impressed into a wax disc that is attached to a cord or ribbon to documents that the Monarch wishes to make official. As the British Letters Patent were issued during Queen Victoria’s reign, they would have been endorsed by her Great Seal.