We’ll mint again! The Royal Mint honours Dame Vera Lynn on £2 coin

Feb 28, 2022 | Announcements, Royal Mint

The Royal Mint has launched a commemorative £2 coin celebrating Dame Vera Lynn’s legendary life and career.

Dame Vera Lynn’s iconic renditions of classic songs such as ‘We’ll Meet Again’ earned her eternal residency within the hearts of many.

The reverse design of the £2 coin features a beautifully detailed portrait of Dame Vera as she appeared during the height of her fame, accompanied by her name and the dates denoting the years of her life. In reference to what was arguably her most famous release, the coin features an edge inscription that reads ‘WE’LL MEET AGAIN’.

Synonymous with Dame Vera, the wartime classic was a wireless staple during the Second World War that resonated with the countless soldiers who had left their families behind. After the war, Dame Vera stayed important through decades of musical change, continuing to record, perform and win new fans even in her eighties and nineties. On 18 June 2020, Dame Vera sadly passed away but her legacy as a dedicated humanitarian and a true icon of British music will live on forever, much like the timeless songs she sang.

The coin, designed by The Royal Mint’s in-house designers, was originally unveiled in the 2022 Annual Sets, a five-coin collection celebrating milestone events and anniversaries of the year on official UK coin. The design was brought to life with the expertise and innovation techniques gathered across the 1,100-year history of The Royal Mint, in collaboration with Dame Vera Lynn’s family.

Dame Vera Lynn’s Daughter, Virginia Lewis-Jones said: “It’s fantastic to see my mother celebrated in this way and to ensure her legacy lives on. We’re just so excited and pleased – even more so knowing that Royal Mint coins require approval of Her Majesty the Queen! I’m especially pleased that this coin is available to international collectors. Over the years I’ve always been touched by the sacks of letters we receive from people all over the world who have been moved in some way by my mother’s music, charity work or morale-boosting performances during the war. It wonderful to think that wherever you are, you can own this coin and remember Dame Vera.”

Clare Maclennan, Director of Commemorative Coin at The Royal Mint said: “Fondly known as the ‘Forces’ Sweetheart’, Dame Vera Lynn’s songs were crucial in maintaining morale during the Second World War and it is an honour to celebrate her legacy on a £2 coin. The collectable £2 is The Royal Mint’s latest tribute to one of Britain’s greatest national treasures. We are delighted to have worked with Dame Vera’s family to help this coin come to life.”

The coin will not enter circulation, but collectors can purchase the coins at The Royal Mint website in gold, silver, silver piedfort and brilliant uncirculated, developed with support of Dame Vera Lynn’s Family. For more information, please visit The Royal Mint.

The Royal Mint Museum announces medal design competition

Feb 25, 2022 | Announcements, Royal Mint

To mark the Platinum Jubilee of Her Majesty The Queen, the Royal Mint Museum has announced a medal design competition for students and recent graduates. Entrants are asked to design a medal inspired by Her Majesty The Queen and the changes that have occurred during her remarkable reign. Entrants are given a free hand to explore any topic or theme relating to the subject, but inspiration and resources are available on the Museum’s website: https://www.royalmintmuseum.org.uk/platinum-jubilee/medal-competition/.

The competition is open to all undergraduate students and recent graduates whose course ended in the last two years.

Royal Mint Museum Director, Dr Kevin Clancy said “We are very pleased to announce this year’s medal design competition to celebrate this momentous occasion. We are excited about seeing the creative ways entrants interpret the Platinum Jubilee design brief and look forward to producing a medal worthy of such an incredible milestone in the life of the nation and of The Queen herself.”

Further information, inspiration, the medal design brief and Terms and Conditions can be found on the Museum’s website: https://www.royalmintmuseum.org.uk/platinum-jubilee/medal-competition/.

Closing date for entries to the competition is Friday 18 March 2022. Submissions can be made digitally via email: medalcompetition@royalmintmuseum.org.uk or posted to the Royal Mint Museum.

The Royal Mint Museum is a registered charity, and an accredited museum, which is based on The Royal Mint site in Llantrisant, South Wales. Established in 1816, The Museum has one of the finest collections of coins and related numismatic material in the world. A range of videos and education materials relating to the Platinum Jubilee is available at: www.royalmintmuseum.org.uk.

The Lion of England roars its way into The Royal Mint’s Royal Tudor Beasts collectable and bullion coin range

Feb 21, 2022 | Announcements, Royal Mint

The Royal Tudor Beasts The Lion of England 2022 UK £5 Brilliant Uncirculated Coin pack

The Royal Mint, the original maker of UK coins, in collaboration with Historic Royal Palaces, has today unveiled the Lion of England as the next coin in its collectable and bullion range celebrating The Royal Tudor Beasts. The collection was first unveiled at Hampton Court Palace in October last year – where the original Royal Beasts still welcome visitors today.

The next coin in The Royal Mint’s Royal Tudor Beasts Collection features the Lion of England. As one of the oldest and most iconic royal beasts in heraldry, Henry VIII chose the fierce lion to represent pride, courage and strength. Released over five years, The Royal Tudor Beasts collection allows customers to build their very own collection celebrating the ten Royal Beasts chosen by King Henry VIII to line the Moat Bridge of Hampton Court Palace.

Andrew Dickey, Divisional Director of Precious Metals at The Royal Mint said: “The introduction of the Royal Tudor Beasts onto bullion coins is an exciting moment for us at The Royal Mint. Featuring impressive designs, each bullion coin provides investors across the world with an opportunity to invest in gold, silver or platinum, while also being able to admire the skill, design and craftsmanship of each coin. Bullion coins are renowned for their value, tradability and liquidity and we are delighted to also be able to offer an aesthetic value to someone investing in our precious metals.”

Clare Maclennan, Divisional Director of Commemorative Coin at The Royal Mint said: “We are delighted to launch the Lion of England as the second coin in our collectable coin range celebrating The Royal Tudor Beasts. Developed in collaboration with Historic Royal Palaces, these coins are already becoming a modern classic, inspired by the history of Hampton Court Palace.”

Emma Saunders, Senior Licensing Manager at Historic Royal Palaces commented: “We are thrilled to launch the next commemorative coin within the Royal Tudor Beasts Collection, as well as introduce bullion coins to the series. The Lion of England is recognised worldwide as one of the most majestic of all the Royal Beasts and in this Jubilee year, it is the perfect way to commemorate this historic moment”.

Designed by artist David Lawrence, each coin design, including the Lion of England, is a unique balance of the naturalistic elements of the creatures with a stylised, heraldic depiction incorporated into the design.

2022 Bullion Royal Tudor Beasts Lion of England Silver 2oz Coin stack

Historically known as the ‘king of the beasts’, the Lion of England is one of the oldest and most iconic beasts in heraldic art and is a traditional symbol of bravery, strength and valour. Used on the shield of England for as long as one has existed, the lion first appeared in heraldry in the twelfth century. Chosen to represent pride and courage, the Lion of England on the Moat Bridge at Hampton Court Palace held a shield bearing the impaled – or combined – arms of Henry VIII and Jane Seymour, symbolising the strength of the couple’s union.

Visit www.royalmint.com/tudorbeasts to view the full collection of collectable and bullion coins available.

Royal Mint announce Extremely Rare One-of-One Piece for Auction

Feb 21, 2022 | Announcements, Royal Mint

Director of Collector Services Rebecca Morgan with Trial Pattern Piece

The Royal Mint will auction a rare ‘pattern piece’ next month, used to create the famous Una and the Lion coin design. Although they resemble coins, pattern pieces are early prototypes used by The Royal Mint to test the finish and quality of new designs. Pattern pieces rarely became available to the public, making them highly desirable additions to a collection.

On 6th March, The Royal Mint will offer the 1 kilo, solid gold Una and the Lion trial pattern piece along with 74 other lots (85 total pieces with one lot containing ten pieces) to the public via an online auction. Registration for the auction is now open and bids can be placed from today (Monday 21st February)

As The Royal Mint reports the rising popularity of rare and historic coins as portfolio diversifiers, the opportunity to own an Una and the Lion piece is likely to garner huge interest. The design is one of the most coveted British coins, and an original Una and the Lion can reach £500,000 depending on its condition. In 2019 The Royal Mint remastered the collection, and the newer versions have already started to command higher prices on the secondary market – often fetching up to 10 times their original value.

Rebecca Morgan, Director of Collector Services for The Royal Mint, comments: “Over our 1,100 year history we have made some of the world’s most famous and rare coins, including the 1839 Una and the Lion design. We remastered the range in 2019, and this trial pattern piece played an essential part in ensuring the design met our exacting standards. As a numismatic rarity, we expect the Una and the Lion trial pattern piece to be highly desirable when it’s offered alongside other Royal Mint exclusives at auction next month.

“Pattern pieces command some of the highest prices in the secondary market especially when compared to the regular issues of the time. The 1663 pattern “Petition” crown in EF (extremely fine condition) for £525,000 versus the 1663 Crown in EF £10,000 so we anticipate this piece being of global interest and highly popular amongst collectors. Given the numismatic significance of this piece along with the modern appeal, we have estimated this could go for £250,000 to £300,000 however we would not be surprised if bids went above this.”

This pattern piece comes from the very early stages of the 2019 trial process, created to test the design of the original coin (38mm diameter) on a significantly larger Gold Kilo (100mm diameter) ensuring the high relief would work on the increased diameter. As a result of this technical focus, the unique piece going up for auction contains the Roman numerals from the original design from the year 1839 (MDCCCXXXIX), differentiating it from the finished coin that was issued in 2019 that had the date still in Roman numerals but reading XXIX (2019).

To ensure authenticity, each auction piece, including the Una pattern piece, bears a hallmark stating the quality of the metal and a unique latent security feature – designed by The Royal Mint’s Chief Engraver, Gordon Summers.

Rebecca continues: “Ordinarily a pattern piece such as this would have been melted down long ago which is why this is such an exciting find. This piece is a genuine and authentic step in the trials process and as such of great numismatic significance. Its appeal will be just as great to the hardcore numismatist as it will to the ‘investor collector’. I can easily imagine a collector who has spent several hundreds of thousands of pounds on an original 1839 Una and the Lion quite happily spending the same to have this piece sit next to the original in their collection.”

The trial pieces are not official UK coins, and are ‘one of one’ items – meaning they are not included in the mintage figures.

To register for the auction, visit Die Trials and Pattern Piece | The Royal Mint.

The Royal Mint celebrates 150 Years of the FA Cup on a collectable £2 coin

Feb 14, 2022 | Announcements, Royal Mint

The 150th Anniversary of the FA Cup 2022 UK £2 Brilliant Uncirculated Coin Packaging Front –

The Royal Mint has launched a commemorative £2 coin celebrating 150 Years of the FA Cup, in partnership with The Football Association (The FA) during their landmark anniversary season.

The collectable £2 coin features the iconic FA Cup trophy at the heart of the design and will take centre stage for the coin toss at the Emirates FA Cup Final at Wembley on 14 May – the showpiece event of the most historic domestic football cup competition in the world.

Designed by artists Matt Dent and Christian Davies, the coveted silverware appears in miniature on the £2 coin, combining The Royal Mint’s craftsmanship and innovation to achieve the accurate detail. The design is etched with celebratory ribbon alongside the words ‘celebrating 150 years of The FA Cup’. On the highly secure milled edge of £2 coin is the inscription ‘football’s greatest cup competition’, a further nod to the landmark celebration of football’s longest-running knockout competition.

The coin is available in a range of base and precious metal finishes for sports lovers and coin collectors to own an enduring memento of the 150th anniversary season. A silver version, with a certificate of authenticity baring the number 1, will be minted to the highest Proof standard for the coin toss in May.

The Royal Mint’s Director of Commemorative Coin Clare Maclennan said: “The Emirates FA Cup is an iconic footballing competition that has enabled clubs across the country to dream of lifting the coveted trophy for 150 years. In what is an extra special season for everyone involved in the game, we are thrilled to be working with The FA and celebrating the 150th anniversary of the much-loved competition with a commemorative £2 coin. Designed with the trophy at its heart, it is fitting that that the coin will be used for the coin toss during Final at Wembley in May.”

The FA’s Head of Player Status and Competitions, David Newton, said: “The parallels between The Royal Mint’s traditional craftsmanship and innovations, and the Emirates FA Cup’s rich history and evolution over the years mean that this special coin is an incredibly fitting celebration of the competition’s 150th anniversary season. We are delighted that it will be used for the Final’s coin toss and fans across the country now have the chance to take home their very own piece of silverware to savour for years to come.”

You can find more information at The Royal Mint from Monday 14 February, and read more about the design of the 150 Years of the FA Cup coin here.

The Royal Mint sends largest coins in its history to 700-year-old Trial of the Pyx

Feb 7, 2022 | News, Royal Mint

Trial of the Pyx 2022 – 10 Kilo Queens Beasts Completer coin

The largest coin ever created by The Royal Mint, the 10-kilo Queen’s Beasts gold proof, is one of the coins sent to the Trial of the Pyx this year. The Royal Mint’s coins were submitted for testing on 1st of February at Goldsmiths’ Hall in the City of London in the annual centuries-old ceremony.

The 10-kilo coin is part of the ‘Masterworks’ collection from The Royal Mint – a new series of larger, one-of-a-kind pieces for collectors. The coin was made using a combination of traditional skills and innovative technology, creating a unique and beautiful work of art.

Other special coins being tested this year include a 9.5kg ‘Masterwork’ celebrating Her Majesty the Queen’s 95th birthday. The coin bears the inscription ‘my heart and my devotion’ taken from the Queen’s speech first televised on the Christmas broadcast of 1957.

Also attending the Trial of the Pyx this year is the world’s most visually secure bullion coin, the Britannia which contains four innovative security features. These include a latent image, surface animation, micro-text and tincture lines – all of which provide security and peace of mind for consumers.

As The Royal Mint continues to diversify as a business, precious metals pieces are becoming more popular with investors as a store of wealth. All coins made by The Royal Mint are subject to the testing process at Trial of the Pyx – the responsibility of the Goldsmiths’ Company – which ensures coins produced are of the highest standard.

Queens Beasts Completer being examined at Trial of the Pyx 2022

The Trial, the UK’s oldest judicial ceremony, aims to protects consumers and upholds the quality of the nation’s coinage – as important today as it has been since the first public Trial in 1248. This includes ensuring the coins maintain the precision and accuracy that The Royal Mint is known for. The trial brings together The Goldsmiths’ Company, The Goldsmiths Company Assay Office and The Royal Mint to ensure the integrity of the coins it creates.

A sample of new coins struck by The Royal Mint is rigorously and independently checked for fineness and quality by an independent jury of Goldsmiths’ Company members, before further analysis by the Goldsmiths’ Company Assay Office – which will test the purity of precious metal by taking samples from the coins.

Anne Jessopp, CEO, The Royal Mint commented: “As Britain’s oldest company, we have an incredible 1,100-year heritage which includes the ancient Trial of the Pyx ceremony. We are the only Mint in the world to be subject to such rigorous independent testing, and it upholds the trust and quality that The Royal Mint is famous for.

“Our business is evolving, and the coins we submit to the Trial of the Pyx today look very different to those submitted in the twelfth century. This year two of the largest coins ever made by The Royal Mint will appear before the trial – including a 10kg gold Masterwork which took 400 hours to make. The Trial will authenticate the quality and metal content of the coin reinforcing its value as a piece of art.”

Dame Lynne Brindley, Prime Warden (Chairs the Board) of the Goldsmiths’ Company commented: “There are two sides to every coin. There are two sides to the future of coins: less daily use but renewed popularity of their commemorative and investment possibilities. Coins are items of beauty, fine craftsmanship and design excellence. The Trial of the Pyx retains its relevance to consumers, collectors and the digital economy, and the Goldsmiths’ Company is very proud to be involved today, as we have been for seven hundred years”.

More information on the Trial can be found here.

Royal Mint Release Obverse of Gothic Crown Commemorative Coin as part of in ‘Great Engravers’ Collection

Feb 7, 2022 | Announcements, Royal Mint

The Royal Mint today (Monday 7th February) released the latest coin to be remastered as part of their Great Engravers series; the obverse of the iconic Gothic Crown by renowned engraver William Wyon. This coin features the Gothic Crown portrait of Queen Victoria combined with the portrait of Her Majesty Elizabeth II designed by Jody Clark on the reverse. The coin will still be dated 2021 in recognition of the earlier release, giving collectors a second chance to own the sought-after collectible, again combined with the current portrait of the Queen. As the coin bears a 2021 date, it also went to the Trial of the Pyx last week.

The original coin featured a cruciform arrangement of the Royal Arms in a Gothic style on the reverse (tails side) and the portrait of Queen Victoria on the obverse (heads side). The Royal Mint split the obverse and reverse designs to create two commemorative coins to add to collections.

Five extremely limited, graded presentation sets containing an original coin and both the new commemorative versions in 2oz gold, will also be created. Four go on sale today via telephone sales only, offering collectors the chance to own all three coins. One additional set be reserved for the Tokyo International Coin Convention where The Royal Mint, in partnership with Taisei Coins, will be holding an auction in April this year.

The Royal Mint launched their Great Engravers range in 2019 with Una and the Lion, followed by the Three Graces, both designed by William Wyon, originally produced in 1839 and 1817 respectively. Both are well known as being incredibly beautiful and intricate designs, and the Royal Mint’s Chief engraver Gordon Summers, together with his team, have revived the designs with state-of-the-art technology. The tooling for the modern coins has been taken directly from the original tools worked on by Wyon in the 1800s, remastered by The Royal Mint’s expert team, over 150 years after the original was created.

Introduced in 1847 on the silver crown, the Gothic Crown was created by William Wyon, former Chief Engraver at The Royal Mint. Queen Victoria’s portrait was portrayed in a medieval style, representing the fanciful splendour of the era. Only 8,000 were initially minted at the time alongside a very small quantity of gold.

The Great Engravers Gothic Crown will be available in five sizes in both Gold and Silver: 2kg, 1kg, 10oz, 5oz and 2oz. There will also be two 5kg struck in Gold and one 10kg.

For more information, visit https://www.royalmint.com/our-coins/events/the-great-engravers/gothic-crown/.

The Royal Mint and the Royal Canadian Mint unveil two-coin set for The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee

Feb 6, 2022 | Announcements, Royal Mint

The Royal Mint and the Royal Canadian Mint have unveiled a commemorative two-coin set in celebration of Her Majesty The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, on the 70th anniversary of The Queen’s accession to the throne in 1952.

Marking an historic 70-year sovereignty over the two nations, the set includes two one-ounce fine silver coins, each baring a unique commemorative design and struck to Proof standard.

The coin from The Royal Mint features a commemorative obverse design of The Queen created by John Bergdahl, who took inspiration from previous equestrian portraits of Her Majesty, adding the royal garter to create a truly unique portrait. The experienced coinage artist also created the coin’s reverse design, which features an elaborate royal mantle design inspired by the coinage of William IV.

The coin from the Royal Canadian Mint features a reverse design by Canadian artist Pandora Young, who has captured Her Majesty as she looked in 1952, the year she became queen. Struck on Canadian coins since 2003, the coin’s obverse features the effigy of The Queen by Susanna Blunt, which depicts the experienced and much-loved monarch we know today.

The unique collector’s item, with a limited mintage of 5,500, is presented in packaging featuring English and French to reflect the heritage of the two nations. The release is the second collaboration between the two Mints, following a set to mark the Queen’s 95th Birthday celebrations in 2021, and forms part of The Royal Mint’s international growth strategy – engaging with coin collectors all over the world.

Nicola Howell, Chief Commercial Officer at The Royal Mint said: “The Platinum Jubilee is a once in a lifetime occasion, and we are celebrating with one of the largest ever coin collections made by The Royal Mint. On the 70th anniversary of Her Majesty’s accession to the throne, we are delighted to reveal a new two-coin set in collaboration with Royal Canadian Mint. The set has been beautifully crafted and offers a unique way for collectors to mark the historic occasion.”

“The Mint is proud to have commemorated many milestones in the reign of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and we are awed and honoured to be witnessing history as we join Canadians and fellow Commonwealth citizens in celebrating her Platinum Jubilee,” said Marie Lemay, President and CEO of the Royal Canadian Mint. “We are delighted to have partnered with The Royal Mint to create a fine silver two-coin set that conveys our two nation’s sincere congratulations on this extraordinary achievement.”

This special collectible is available at The Royal Mint and the Royal Canadian Mint at www.mint.ca.

Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Coin Specification
Coin UK Canada
Denomination £2 Can$20
Issuing Authority UK Canada
Alloy .999 Ag .9999 Ag
Weight 31.21g 31.39g
Diameter 38.61mm 38.00mm
Obverse Designer John Bergdahl Susanna Blunt
Reverse Designer John Bergdahl Pandora Young
Quality Proof Proof
Maximum Coin Mintage 5,500 5,500

The Royal Mint unveils a one-of-a-kind 8kg gold coin to celebrate Chinese New Year

Jan 28, 2022 | Announcements, Royal Mint

The Royal Mint, Original Maker of UK coins, has today unveiled an exclusive 8kg gold proof coin to celebrate the Year of the Tiger as part of its Masterworks coin range and popular Shēngxiào collection. The 8kg gold proof coin featuring a design to celebrate Chinese New Year is a one-of-a-kind collector’s item made using a combination of traditional skills and innovative technology and is the largest coin ever produced as part of The Royal Mint’s Shēngxiào collection.

Reverse of The Royal Mint Year of the Tiger 8 kilo gold coin proof

The impressive 8kg gold proof coin was created by a team of master craftspeople at The Royal Mint, using traditional minting skills alongside the latest innovative technology. Modern techniques are called upon in the beginning with engraving machines being used to carefully cut the design onto the 8kg coin over a period of 200 hours.

A uniquely titled ‘Master Toolmaker’ then hand works the coin, carefully papering and burnishing the surface of the metal to remove any marks made by the cutting process to elevate the finish of the design, before undergoing 100 hours of hand polishing. Finally, the 185mm coin is laser frosted for 50 hours using the latest picosecond laser technology, to selectively texture the surface giving it a matt finish showcasing the detail of the coin design.

The Lunar Year of the Tiger 8kg coin blends elements of traditional British design and craftsmanship with ancient Chinese culture. The coin design depicts the tiger face on, and its Chinese character positioned to the right. When inspecting the design closely an additional Chinese character can be seen on the tiger’s forehead. It represents the Chinese character for king – ‘王’ – which is said to originate from the pattern on the tiger’s head. The weight of the coin, 8kg, was selected due to the number 8 being considered the luckiest number in Chinese culture and one associated with wealth and prosperous.

Clare Maclennan, Divisional Director of Commemorative Coin at The Royal Mint said: “The Royal Mint began the Shēngxiào Collection in 2014, combining centuries of British craftsmanship and artistic skills with Chinese tradition – creating the first official UK Lunar coins. Ahead of Chinese New Year, we are thrilled to introduce the first ever 8kg coin as part of the collection celebrating the Year of the Tiger and the latest in our ‘Masterworks’ series which offer unique works of art for collectors, exclusively from The Royal Mint. The coin design is a beautiful fusion of British craftsmanship and Chinese tradition featuring the tiger prominently in the centre of the design.”

The Royal Mint’s Shēngxiào Collection is a celebration of the UK’s diverse multi-cultural society, lending a unique British angle to this ancient custom. The Chinese zodiac follows a 12-year cycle with each year characterised by a different animal. Ancient legend tells of a Great Race between the animals. Several variants of the story exist, but in one popular interpretation the Jade Emperor, ruler of the heavens, declared that the first 12 animals to sign up would be eligible to take part, and the order they finished in would determine the order of the lunar calendar.

The tiger is considered one of the most beloved and respected creatures in Chinese culture. Characteristically brave and unyielding, the tiger is one of the most significant symbols in Chinese culture. Hailed for symbolising power, strength, and bravery, the animal also represents majesty and righteousness. Those born in the Year of the Tiger are thought to possess many of these traits and are said to be confident and courageous, meaning people born under this sign are thought of as natural leaders.

In addition to the 8kg gold proof coin, The Lunar Year of the Tiger collectable coins are also available in a range of precious metals and base metal finishes from £13. Visit www.royalmint.com/lunar to view the full collection.

The Royal Mint to remaster portraits of historic British Monarchs in high definition for the first time

Jan 25, 2022 | Announcements, Royal Mint

Rebecca Morgan with 2022 Henry VII silver coin original Henry VII coin

In the year of Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee, The Royal Mint has today announced a new commemorative coin series celebrating some of the most iconic kings and queens from the last 500 years of British history.

The collection will span four Royal Houses – Tudor; Stuart; Hanover; Saxe-Coburg, Gotha, and Windsor – remastering iconic designs in high definition for the first time thanks to the latest technology and minting techniques.

The first coin in the collection features Henry VII, founder of the Tudor dynasty, who reigned from 1485 to 1509. The effigy has been faithfully recreated in fine detail using state-of-the-art technology and numismatic processes by Gordon Summers, The Royal Mint’s Chief Engraver.

Henry VII’s reign was a milestone for British coins as he took the time and effort to create the first realistic portrait of a monarch on English coins and set a new standard. The reverse of the coin, commonly known as the ‘tails side’, features a coinage portrait of Henry VII from circa 1504, while the obverse features Jody Clark’s definitive portrait of Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II.

Rebecca Morgan, Director of Collector Services said: “Henry VII was a numismatic innovator who took the time to commission the first realistic portrait of a British Monarch. It was important to Henry VII that his subjects could clearly see him, and we’ve been able to recreate his effigy in high definition for the first time on a UK coin. There are very few ‘fine’ examples of coinage from this period, and they are coveted by collectors for their iconic design and rarity. Being able to faithfully and accurately remaster this design on a new coin will allow more people to own and appreciate its beauty.”

The remastered Henry VII coin has been produced to the highest modern striking standards but retains features which honour its unique history. Coins of this period were hand struck using hammers by workers at the Mint in the Tower of London, and it was common for them to be ‘clipped’ by members of the public keen to secure small amounts of precious metal. This means the size and shape of coins could vary, and this has been reflected in the new edge design.

Gordon Summers, Chief Engraver at The Royal Mint, said: “When we began remastering this series, we wanted to retain the authenticity and beauty of the original – reflecting the best quality striking that the original engraver could only dream of achieving 500 years ago.

“Naturally coins from 500 years ago have experienced wear as they passed through the generations, were hand struck using hammers and were commonly ‘clipped’. All of these factors give the original coin irregularities, and it was important to reflect and celebrate that in the new design.”

“We digitised a high standard original coin using an extremely precise scanner, which gave us a really accurate model of the design. We then began to refine the surface, removing the damage and wear of centuries to deliver a coin which showcases Henry VII’s original effigy and historical features in high definition.”

The British Monarchs Collection will feature 21 coins over five years. Each coin is inspired by a contemporary design originally made by The Royal Mint and remade by their master craftspeople for the 21st century.

In addition to these individual coins, The Royal Mint will also be releasing a limited number of sets combining new and historic coins. These limited-edition sets will feature a British Monarchs coin alongside a genuine historical coin from the era of that respective monarch.

Pin It on Pinterest