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Wednesday 13 December 2017

629)  Lion of England: First Coin in the "Queen's Beasts Coin Series" UK: Gold and Silver Bullion Coins kick-started by the Royal Mint, UK in March 2016:

629)  Lion of England: First Coin in the "Queen's Beasts Coin Series" UK: Gold and Silver Bullion Coins kick-started by the Royal Mint, UK in March 2016:

The Queen's Beast's Coin Series, UK issues:




The"Queen's Beasts Coin Series": The Lion of England: 

The Royal Mint, UK began on 29.03.2016, a new Coin Series titled  "The Queen's Beasts" featuring both mythical and real beasts that have featured on British heraldry over the last five centuries.

Spanning back to the reign of King Henry VIII, "The King’s Beasts" are a group of creatures that symbolize the various strands of royal ancestry brought together as a heraldic badge.

This Coin series will include all ten of these creatures, which recall hundreds of years of British royal heraldry and will showcase one ‘beast’ at a time.

The first coin to be issued in the series of ten £5 coins is the Lion of England. The Lion along with the Unicorn of Scotland is are the supporters of the Royal Arms – the Royal badge that represents the monarchy and the United Kingdom (Royal Arms are the arms of the monarch, an ancient symbolism that represents their sovereignty).The pair - Lion and Unicorn -  are seen in many everyday places, including on British passports.

The Lion of England, a classic symbol of strength in British heraldry, leads the pack for this new bullion coin series.

  The crowned golden Lion of England has been one of the supporters of the Royal Arms since King James I came to the throne in 1603, but the symbol of a lion has stood for England far longer. Richard the Lionheart, son of King Henry II, established three golden lions as the Royal Arms of England, and lions have appeared on the Coat of Arms of every British sovereign since the 12th century.

The Queen's beasts present day:

At the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, ten heraldic beasts stood guard. They were sculpted by James Woodford RA for the coronation ceremony held in Westminster Abbey in 1953, and each stands six feet tall.

 Each proud beast, used as a heraldic badge by generations that went before her, was inspired by the King's Beasts of Henry VIII that still line the bridge over the moat at his Hampton Court Palace. 

Presently, the Queen's Beasts can be found at the Canadian Museum of History in Quebec, while Portland stone replicas, also carved by James Woodford, watch over Kew Gardens in the United Kingdom.
These mythical and ancient creatures include - the Lion of England, Griffin of Edward III, Falcon of the Plantagenets, Black Bull of Clarence, Yale of Beauforts, White Greyhound of Richmond, Red Dragon of Wales, Unicorn of Scotland, White Lion of Mortimer and White Horse of Hanover. 

The introduction of the “Queen’s Beasts” Coins brings an exciting new series of bullion coins to collectors/numismatists around the world.

The coins were previously only available in precious metals, but the release of the collection in Brilliant Uncirculated editions was done for the first time.


An image of both faces of the 100 Pounds Gold Coin depicting the Lion on its Reverse

The Reverse design of the 100 Pounds Gold Coin includes the Lion of England. The text "LION OF ENGLAND" along with the weight "1 OZ", metal "FINE GOLD.9999", and year of issue "2016" appear on the outer periphery.
 
 The Lion on this face has been designed by British coin designer Jody Clark.

The inspiration for the design of this series has been taken from the actual Queen’s Beasts sculptures, each standing at around two meters tall were created by James Woodford for the coronation ceremony of Queen Elizabeth II held in Westminster Abbey in 1953.

The Obverse design of the 100 Pounds Gold Coin bears the fifth portrait of the Queen, which was also designed by Jody Clark (his initials "JC" appear below the Queen's neck) and introduced on British coinage in March 2015. It bears the inscription on the periphery from left to right: "100 POUNDS. ELIZABETH II. DG. REG.FD" (meaning "Elizabeth II, By the Grace of God, Queen").

The Specifications of this coin are:
Denomination: £100; Metal Composition: .9999 Gold (Au); Weight: 31.21 grams; Diameter/Size: 32.69 mm; Obverse and Reverse designer: Jody Clark; Coin Quality: Bullion; Year of issue: 2016.



An image of both faces of the 25 Pounds Gold  depicting the Lion on its Reverse


The Reverse design of the 25 Pounds Gold Coin includes the Lion of England. The text "LION OF ENGLAND" along with the weight "1/4 OZ", metal "FINE GOLD.9999", and year of issue "2016" appear on the outer periphery.
The Obverse design of the 25 Pounds Gold Coin bears the fifth portrait of the Queen, which was also designed by Jody Clark (his initials "JC" appear below the Queen's neck) and introduced on British coinage in March 2015. It bears the inscription on the periphery from left to right:" 25 POUNDS. ELIZABETH II. DG. REG.FD" (meaning "Elizabeth II, By the Grace of God, Queen").

The Specifications of this coin are:
Denomination: £25; Metal Composition: .9999 Gold (Au); Weight: 7.80 grams; Diameter/Size: 22.00 mm; Obverse and Reverse designer: Jody Clark; Coin Quality: Bullion; Year of issue: 2016.

An image of both faces of the 5 Pounds Silver coin  depicting the Lion on its Reverse

The Reverse design of the 5 Pounds Silver Coin includes the Lion of England. The text "LION OF ENGLAND" along with the weight "2 OZ", metal "FINE SILVER.9999", and year of issue "2016" appear on the outer periphery.


The Obverse design of the 5 Pounds Silver Coin bears the fifth portrait of the Queen, which was also designed by Jody Clark (his initials "JC" appear below the Queen's neck) and introduced on British coinage in March 2015. It bears the inscription on the periphery from left to right:" 5 POUNDS. ELIZABETH II. DG. REG.FD" (meaning "Elizabeth II, By the Grace of God, Queen").


The Specifications of this coin are:
Denomination: £5; Metal Composition: Silver .9999 (Ag); Weight: 62.42 grams; Diameter/Size: 38.61 mm; Obverse and Reverse designer: Jody Clark; Coin Quality: Bullion; Year of issue: 2016.

General Remarks:

 The current range of bullion consists of 1 oz. and 1/4 oz. gold coins, as well as the Royal Mint’s first two-ounce 999.9 pure silver bullion coin.

Each coin is presented in packaging that has been specially designed for the Brilliant Uncirculated editions of The Queen’s Beasts Collection – colourful, informative fold-out wallets that display the coins and capture the imagination.

A Base Metal Coin (Cupro-Nickel) also joins the Series/Pack:

The "King of the Beasts" is also captured on this £5  Cupro-Nickel coin which has been finished to Brilliant Uncirculated standard. 

The Cupro-Nickel £5 coin comes in an elegant jacket. The "designer" lion picture on top looks like an "under-fed/undernourished" Lion returning from a futile hunt.

The Specifications of this coin are:
Denomination: £5; Metal Composition: Cupro-Nickel; Weight: 28.28 grams; Diameter/Size: 38.61 mm; Obverse and Reverse designer: Jody Clark; Coin Quality: Brilliant Uncirculated; Year of issue: 2016.






Links to some other interesting posts:

Central Bank of Ireland issues:

1) Jonathan Swift: 350 th Birth Anniversary 15 Euro Silver Proof coin features his most famous work "Gulliver's Travels" : Coin issued on 30.11.2017


Bank of England Banknotes:

1) A Ten Pounds Banknote issued on Charles Dickens (Writer) also depicting a cricket match from his novel "The Pickwick Papers"

2) A Ten Pound Banknote issued on Charles Darwin (English Naturalist) also depicting the HMS Beagle, Darwin's magnifying glass, a humming-bird & flora that he may have seen on his voyage.

3) A Five Pounds Banknote issued on George Stephenson (an Engineer) also depicting "Rocket" his Railway Locomotive and Skeene Bridge on theStockton Darlington Railway (1825) - since withdrawn


4) A 20 Pounds Banknote issued on Michael Faraday (a Scientist) issued in 1991, since withdrawn from circulation in 2001 


5) Great Britain's first circulating polymer Banknote on Winston Churchill issued by the Bank of England in the denomination of 5 Pounds on 13.09.2016


6) Jane Austen: features on the second circulating Polymer Banknote of 10 Pounds denomination to be released on 14.09.2017

Inspirations from Scottish History (Clydesdale Bank Banknotes): 

1) The Legend of King Bruce & the Spider on Banknotes
  
2) Commemorating Sir William Arrol and his creation the Forth Rail Bridge by issues of Britain's first ever 5 Pound Polymer Banknote

Banknotes from Bank of Scotland:

1) The Ryder Cup Commemorative Banknote: A 5 Pounds Banknote issued by the Royal Bank of Scotland in 2014 

British Crown Dependencies:

1) Specimen Banknotes from the States of Jersey

2) Coinage and Currency from the States of Jersey

3) Currency & Coinage of the Bailiwick of Guernsey

4) Currency & Coinage of Gibraltar : An Overseas Territory of Great Britain

5) Coinage of Gibraltar: (A British Overseas Territory): An Uncirculated Decimal Coin Collection Set minted by the Tower Mint, UK in 2010
  
6) The Isle of Man: An Uncirculated Decimal Coin Collection Set minted by Pobjoy Mint, UK in 2015

7) The Centenary of the ill-fated Titanic (15.04.1912 - 15.04.2012): An Alderney Five Pound Coin Commemorating the Maritime Legend

8) "Man of Steel": A Superman Movie: A set of stamps brought out in 2013 by Jersey post, the States of Jersey, commemorating Henry William Dalgliesh Cavill who played Superman in the Movie

9) Coins & Currency of Bermuda

10) The Bailiwick of Jersey - Presently circulating coinage - Pounds and Pence 

11) St. Helena & Ascension Islands: An Uncirculated Coin Set from 2003 

12) The Legend of the "HMAV Bounty" is interwoven with the heritage of the Pitcairn Islands: An uncirculated coin set from Pitcairn Islands in 2009 depicting the icons/relics of the Bounty minted by the New Zealand Mint

13) Currency of the Falkland Islands: A British Overseas Territory (BOT) Pounds & Pence

14) Falkland Islands Penguins: 50 Pence Coin Series: The first Coin in the Series of four coins: the Rock-Hopper Penguin 

15) Falkland Islands Penguins: 50 Pence Coin Series: The Gentoo Penguin:Second Coin in the series of four coins issued on 20.06.2017 


16) Falkland Islands Penguins: 50 Pence Coin Series: The Third Coin in the Series of four coins: the King Penguin

Famous Battles

1) Bicentenary of the Battle of Waterloo and Napoleon's Exile to St. Helena: (Part I): A One Crown Commemorative coin issued by the Ascension Island (minted by Pobjoy Mint UK) 

2) Bicentenary of the Battle of Waterloo and Napoleon's Exile to st. Helena: (Part II) 1) A 5 GBP Coin issued by the Royal Mint UK. 2) A"Drie Landen Zilverset" ( ot the "Three Lands Silver set") containing coins issued by the Royal Dutch Mint including coins of Netherlands, Belgium and UK

3) Commemorating the 75th Anniversary of the Battle of Britain by issuing a 50 Pence coin by the Royal Mint UK

Gold Coins:
  
1) Gold Sovereigns issued in 2013 & 2014 by MMTC-PAMP in India under licence from the Royal Mint, UK, carrying the "I" Mint Mark

2) Gold Half-Sovereigns minted by MMTC-PAMP in India in 2014 under licence from the Royal Mint UK bearing the "I" Mint Mark 

Silver Coins:

1) A 20 Pound Silver coin minted for the first timr by the royal Mint UK: reverse design carries the famous St. George slaying the dragon design found on Gold Sovereigns 

British India Coinage:

 1) East India Company Quarter Anna Copper Coin which is one of the first issues under the Coinage Act 1835

2) Victoria Coinage: When she was Queen and afterwards Empress

3) Edward VII: King & Emperor  Coinage

4) George V King Emperor Coinage

5) George VI: The last of the British India Emperors Coinage 

Other British Royalty: 

1) Queen Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee Celebrations (1952-2012): A Five Pound Commemorative coin issued by the Royal Mint, UK

2) Commemorating Queen Elizabeth II's Coronation in 1953: A Five Pound Coin minted by the Royal Mint UK in 2013, depicting the Imperial State Crown

3) The Royal Coat of Arms of the UK: Great British 2012 Coin Set (Uncirculated) issued by the Royal Mint UK

4) Prince George's Christening Ceremony celebrated with coins issued by the Royal Mint UK in 2013

5) The British Empire:  A Case of Numismatic "segregation": (Guest Post by Rahul Kumar)

6) 1) The Portrait Collection: Various Portraits of Queen Elizabeth II on Coinage 2) The Fourth & Final Circulating coinage of the Portrait designed by Ian Rank-Broadley and the First Edition of the portrait of the Queen made by Jody Clark

 British Coinage:

1) The contribution of the Great British One-Pound coins in keeping alive the historical legends/emblems/heritage of the UK (1983 onwards)

2) Transformation of a Five shilling Coin (Crown) into the UK Twenty-five Pence & then the Five Pound Coin

3) Transformation of the Two Shilling Coin (Florin) Coin into the UK Ten Pence

4) The 350th Anniversary of the Guinea: A Two Pound Coin issued by the Royal Mint UK celebrating the milestone

5) The new 12-sided One Pound UK Coin introduced into circulation on 28.03.2017

 Commemorative British Coinage:

 1) Commemorating the Bicentenary of Charles Dickens: A Two pound coin celebrating his literary contributions during the Victorian Era

 2) Commemorating 50 Years of the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) - presently called the World Wide Fund for Nature by issue of a Fifty Pence coin by the Royal Mint, UK

3) Coins commemorating London Olympics & Paralympics (2012)

4) Commemorating 150 Years of the London Underground : Two pound Coins minted by the Royal Mint UK, showing the "Roundel" logo and a train emerging from a tunnel 

5) Commemorating the 100th Birth anniversary of Christopher Ironside with his " Royal Arms" design on a 50 Pence coin issued by the Royal Mint, UK 





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