2024 Great Engravers Waterloo Medal Allied Leaders 2 oz Gold Proof Coin

This 2024 Waterloo Medal Allied Leaders 2 oz Gold Proof Coin was issued by the Royal Mint as part of The Great Engravers series. It celebrates Benedetto Pistrucci's iconic Waterloo Medal, touted by numismatists as the greatest medal designed in Britain. After 30-years in the making, the medal was famously never struck due to fears it would damage the dies.

This coin is the first in a 2-part edition, with the 2nd issue being released in 2025. 

• Manufacturer: The Royal Mint
• Fineness: 999.9 / 24 carat gold
• Contains 2 troy ounces of gold
• Exempt from Capital Gains Tax & VAT
• Presentation: Royal Mint box & certificate of authenticity
• Maximum Coin Mintage: 221 Coins
• Limited Edition Presentation: 195 Coins
• Weight: 62.42g
• Diameter: 40mm

See our complete Great Engravers coin collection.

Royal Mint Official Partner

Chards is an official partner of The Royal Mint. These 2024 Waterloo Medal coins, among other Royal Mint products, are sourced directly from their mint headquarters in Llantrisant, Wales.

Battle of the Waterloo

The Battle of Waterloo, fought on 18 June 1815, was a decisive conflict that ended the Napoleonic Wars. Taking place near Waterloo in present-day Belgium, the battle saw Napoleon Bonaparte's French forces clash with a coalition led by the Duke of Wellington and Prussian General Gebhard Leberecht von Blücher.

After a gruelling day of combat, the coalition forces succeeded in defeating the French, leading to Napoleon's final downfall and exile. This victory not only ended Napoleon's rule but also reshaped the political landscape of Europe.

Waterloo Medal (1819-1849)

In 1819, four years after the Battle of Waterloo, Italian sculptor Benedetto Pistrucci began working on a Waterloo Medal on behalf of the British government, intended to be presented to allied sovereigns, their ministers and generals.

However, due to several reasons, including his conflicting opinions with the Royal Mint regarding the medal and his own health issues, the medal's completion was delayed until 1849. Although the original medal was never struck, it took three decades to complete. The medal now can be seen only at The Royal Mint Museum which we visited!

The design of the medal has been praised by numismatists and is regarded as one of the greatest numismatic achievements, cementing Pistrucci's reputation as a great engraver.

Pistrucci's Influence on the Great Engravers Series

These coins from the Royal Mint's Great Engravers Collection celebrate the historic masterpieces of the world's greatest engravers.

Twice, his iconic designs have been selected by The Royal Mint to feature in The Great Engravers series, including the 2024 St George and the Dragon coins and the 2024 Waterloo Medal coins, commemorating Benedetto Pistrucci’s designs for the Waterloo Medal.

Legacy of Benedetto Pistrucci

Born in Rome in 1783, Benedetto Pistrucci’s early work fashioning medals and cameos soon affirmed his reputation as a talented gem engraver with international repute.

Arriving in London in 1815, the renowned engraver was quick to prove his worth, soon being commissioned by the Master of the Royal Mint, William Wellesley Pole, for a series of new gold and silver coin designs to be released in 1817.  

A new sovereign reverse design was introduced featuring Saint George slaying a dragon, designed by the brilliant young Italian engraver. This beautiful classic design remains on our gold sovereigns today, over two hundred years later, and has been one of the world's most widely recognised coins for most of its existence.

The obverse of the coin features the uncrowned portrait of King Charles III by Martin Jennings. This coin bears a legend on the obverse.

CHARLES III · D · G · REX · F · D · 200 POUNDS ·

The reverse design of this coin shows the obverse of the original Waterloo Medal. It captures the original allegorical tapestry of the Battle of Waterloo.

At the centre of the design are the left-facing portraits of the four major allied leaders, depicted in Roman clothing with laurel crowns atop their heads as a sign of victory. From the far left to the right, the portraits show:

• George, Prince Regent (King George IV)
• Emperor Francis I of Austria
• Tsar Alexander I of Russia
• King Frederick William III of Prussia

Figures from Greek and Roman mythology encircle the design.