In 1815, when William was 20 years old, the Battle of Waterloo brought an end to the Napoleonic Wars. The British Government announced the Great Recoinage of 1816 and a competition to find designs for these new coins. The ambitious young William saw a chance to make his mark and created his entry; The Three Graces. While it did not win the competition, around 50 test'Pattern Pieces' soon became collector's items as William's reputation grew.
He went on to design the iconic'Young Head' portrait of Queen Victoria, and his'Una and The Lion' remains a favourite of East India Company Bullion collectors to this day. The Three Graces is an early classic from a true great, available to collectors once again as the first issue in our limited-edition Masterpiece Collection. This intricately detailed 1oz Silver Proof is delivered in a presentation case complete with a certificate of authenticity. To find the source of Willian Wyon's inspiration, we must go back to the myths of Ancient Greece.
The Three Graces are the goddesses of festivity, and daughters of the mighty Zeus. They each had particular qualities that we might all recognise as the best things in life, and in people. Aglaea, the essence of elegance and beauty.Euphrosyne, full of laughter and joy. Thalia, symbol of youth and playfulness. Wyon used The Three Graces to tell the story of The 1801 Act of Union, cleverly reflecting a renewed interest in the classics to capture the moment when the Kingdom of Great Britain and the Kingdom of Ireland combined to form The United Kingdom.
He cast the sisters as Scotland, England and Ireland, adding recognisable symbols to identify them with the three nations: a harp, a shield bearing the flag of St George and an oversized thistle. Masterpiece 2021 Three Graces 1oz Silver Proof Coin. This item is in the category "Coins & Paper Money\Bullion\Silver\Coins". The seller is "shinypreciousmetals" and is located in this country: US. This item can be shipped to United States.