GB 1857 Queen Victoria Penny EF

The 1857 British Penny features William Wyon’s first uncrowned “Young Head” of Queen Victoria facing left on the obverse. The legend VICTORIA DEI GRATIA (“Victoria by the Grace of God”) surrounds the portrait, with the date below. The reverse depicts Britannia seated right, holding a trident in her left hand and a shield bearing the Union Flag in her right, encircled by the legend BRITANNIAR: REG FID: DEF: (“Queen of the Britains, Defender of the Faith”) and national flower emblems in the exergue.

This penny exemplifies early Victorian coinage, blending elegance with symbolic imagery of Britain’s maritime strength and the monarch’s authority. Subtle varieties, including trident style and colon placement, make certain examples particularly collectible. Wyon’s “Young Head” portrait remained an iconic feature across multiple denominations.