Oh goodness, so much to share about this special piece, I don't know where to start...
The coin is a genuine solid 22k gold 1 British pound piece featuring Queen Victoria in a veil on the front, and an image of St George, on the reverse, slaying a dragon. It appears the coin was produced by the Melbourne Mint in 1899. The coin itself is 22.05mm and just under 1/4oz of gold (0.2354oz of actual pure gold content before being alloyed for coinage).
The coin was set into a handmade bezel casting of solid 9k gold with British hallmarks from the London Assay Office, with a stamp that dates the manufacturing time of 1938-1939. This pendant bezel, by default, weighs 1.52g.
The coin pendant is strung on a solid 8k solid gold box chain that is 1.04mm thick, just about 24" in length, and weighing 3.4g. 8k gold is more commonly seen in German gold. It is vintage, but not original to the pendant.
As with anything this vintage/antique/pre-loved, there is going to be wear such as abrasions, pits, bends, patina, etc.. This treasure has so many stories rolled into one piece. The history, time and place of the coin, the coins design, the time in which it was set into it's pendant frame, and it's European chain.
The total weight of the piece is 12.9g. It has so much life left and such a wonderful conversation piece!
