Great Britain, Victoria, 20 June 1837 - 22 January 1901
UK117366. Bronze half penny, SCBC 3949, SCWC KM 726, near Mint State, iridescent tone on mint luster, a few marks, 9.480g, 28.2mm, 0o, London mint, VICTORIA DEI GRATIA (Latin: Victoria, by the Grace of God), first uncrowned portrait ('Young Head') of Queen Victoria left, 1841 below; reverse BRITANNIAR: REG: FID: DEF: (Latin: Brittanniarum Regina Fidei Defensatrix - Queen of the Britons, Defender of the Faith), Britannia seated right, wearing crested Corinthian helmet, resting right hand on shield at side ornamented with the Union Jack, trident in left hand; shamrock, rose, and thistle in exergue
Queen Victoria inherited the throne at 18, after her father's three elder brothers had all died, leaving no legitimate surviving children. The UK was already a constitutional monarchy, in which the Sovereign held relatively little direct political power. Privately, Victoria attempted to influence government policy and ministerial appointments. Publicly, she became a national icon and was identified with strict standards of personal morality. Her reign of 63 years and seven months is known as the Victorian era.