2021 Great Britain Valiant 1 oz Silver Coin NGC MS 69

The legend of St. George is a popular one in Britain, but its roots actually date back nearly 1,000 years before the first tales of his exploits reached the shores of Britain. Stories of George slaying a dragon first appeared in Britain during the Middle Ages. In the 12th century, the first stories of St. George slaying a dragon began to circulate in England.

However, this was some 800-plus years after Georges death. The earliest depictions of a figure slaying a serpent-like beast originated in what is now northern Macedonia in Eastern Europe and those works of art first appeared in the 5^th century. The tale was adapted and changed to fit the narrative of various different cultures throughout Eastern and Western Europe in the subsequent centuries, with Western Christian crusaders bringing the story back from the various Crusades in the Middle East.

Queen Elizabeth II is on the obverse field of the 2021 1 oz British Silver Valiant Coins. Her Majesty has featured on the obverse of British coinage since her reign officially began in 1952. The design currently in use on British coins comes from Jody Clark and is recognized as the fifth-generation effigy. It depicts the Queen in right-profile relief with the George IV State Diadem Crown, a piece of the Crown Jewels commissioned in 1820 during the first year of King George IVs reign.

St. George is depicted on horseback as he slays the dragon in the reverse design of 2021 British Silver Valiant Coins. George is often credited in tales with slaying a dragon that was terrorizing humanity. It is believed that the legend of St. George began to circulate in England among the soldiers who had accompanied King Richard I to the Holy Land during the Crusades of the late 12th century.