Magdalen College Gargoyle Type V – 2 oz Silver Round

A mischievous face from Oxford’s architectural landscape becomes the centerpiece of this Gargoyles of the World silver round. The Type V Magdalen College design captures a wide-eyed carved creature with a curling tongue and flowing locks, set against a stonework background. Intaglio Mint’s ultra-high-relief treatment gives the expressive features depth on a 39mm round containing two troy ounces of .999 fine silver.

Oxford’s Imaginative Stonework

Magdalen College was founded in 1458 by William Waynflete, Bishop of Winchester. Its buildings belong to an Oxford tradition in which carved creatures, human figures and elaborate ornament make the architecture worth studying as closely as the books inside.

Among Magdalen’s most distinctive sculptures are the freestanding grotesques known as “hieroglyphics” around its Cloisters. In 1508–09, John Buce and Robert Carver made 22 figures for the buttresses along three sides of the quadrangle. Their subjects range from animals to human occupations, offering a glimpse of how sculpture could carry meaning as well as decorate a building.

Later interpretations associated those figures with qualities such as courage, learning and the vices students were urged to avoid. The college notes that the influential explanations written by Fellow William Reeks in the seventeenth century were his own interpretations. That mixture of craftsmanship, imagination and continuing debate helps explain the lasting appeal of Oxford’s carved inhabitants.

Obverse Design

The Magdalen College creature looks outward with prominent eyes, a broad nose and an open mouth. Its tongue curls to one side, while long, wavy features frame the face. Masonry lines and a weathered background recall the architectural setting, with “MAGDALEN COLLEGE” below. The close-up composition brings details normally seen overhead into the hand.

Reverse Design

The shared Gargoyles of the World reverse surrounds the series title with Gothic window-like tracery. A small winged gargoyle perches above the central lettering, and the hallmark appears along the lower edge. The architectural border ties this Oxford-inspired subject to the wider series.

Specifications

• Weight: 2.00 troy ounces
• Thickness: Approximately 6mm
• Purity: .999 fine silver
• Edge: Reeded
• Diameter: 39mm
• Finish: Brilliant Uncirculated
• Relief: Ultra-High Relief

Explore more designs in our silver round collection.