The young Victoria inherited the throne in 1837 at the age of 18. Her reign would last for more than 63 years, a Victorian-era characterised by unprecedented change and progress. As queen and empress, Queen Victoria saw the British Empire spread far and wide, and when she died in 1901, almost a quarter of the world’s population used coins that bore her portrait.

Her final portrait, by Thomas Brock RA, was introduced in 1893 and shows us a dignified and veiled queen. This coinage portrait would be her last and was struck until Queen Victoria’s death in 1901.

The reverse features Saint George slaying the Dragon by Benedetto Pistrucci.

The obverse features the Veiled Head portrait by Sir Thomas Brock.