RARE 2004 UNITED KINGDOM
ELIZABETH II
STEAM LOCOMOTIVE £2 TWO POUND DOUBLE SOVEREIGN SOLID 22K GOLD PROOF COIN SET
INCLUDING ORIGINAL BOOK R. TREVITHICK GIANTS OF STEAM
COMMEMORATING
200TH ANNIVERSARY OF RICHARD TREVITHICK STEAM LOCOMOTIVE
PROOF MINTED BY THE ROYAL MINT
STILL SEALED IN ORIGINAL ROYAL MINT PACKAGING UNTOUCHED
MINT CONDITION IN ORIGINAL ROYAL MINT BOX WITH CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICITY
WEIGHT: 15.97 GRAMS / DIAMETER: 28.40 MM
VERY COLLECTABLE LIMITED ISSUE OF 1,500
OTHER GOLD AND SILVER COINS IN MY AUCTION AND SHOP FEEL FREE TO HAVE A LOOK
The Industrial Revolution was a period that saw countries like Britain progress from being predominantly agarian to being much more urbanised. The development of the steam engine played a crucial role in this transition. Although steam powered engines had been used from early eighteenth century, they were often large and unreliable machines fixed into position to perform certain tasks. It was not until the begining of the nineteenth century that a Cornishman, Richard Trevithick, revolutionsed steam power by devising the first stesam-driven locomotive engine.
Following a bet between Samuel Homfray owner of the Penydarren Iron Works and Richard Crayshaw owner of the Cyfarthfa Iron Works, in 1804 Trevithick built a steam engine that could haul ten tons of iron from Penydarren works along a tramway to Navigation House in Abercynon, a total distance of nine miles. The first ever steam powered vehicle had been driven on rail. Trevithick engine was the first true Locomotive. The inner section thus becomes the yellow gold of the Britannia coins, and the outer ring remains the Red Gold that is familiar from sovereigns. Weight is 15.97 grams and diameter 28.40 mm.
Track up to 10 items on this computer in 
)
