The Queen's Beasts Collection: Investable Silver Bullion Coins
The Queen’s Beasts Collection consisting of 11 distinct 2 oz silver bullion coins was issued between 2016 and 2021. Each coin features a heraldic (coat of arms) animal representing the genealogy of Queen Elizabeth II and the British Royalty. The statues on which the coins are based stood in front of the annexe of Westminster Abbey for the Queen's coronation in 1953. The originals were later presented to the Canadian Museum of History, but replicas are now displayed at the Royal Botanical Gardens at Kew. The year beside the coin list below is the date of issue of the coin.
2016 The Lion of England
The Lion of England is the crowned golden lion of England, which has been one of the supporters of the Royal Arms since the reign of Edward IV (1461–1483). It supports a shield showing the Arms of the United Kingdom as they have been since Queen Victoria's accession in 1837. In the first and last quarters of the shield are the arms of the House of Plantagenet, taken from the arms of Richard I (1157–1199), "The Lionheart". The lion and tressure (armorial border) of Scotland appear in the second, and the Harp of Ireland is in the third quarter.
The griffin of Edward III Queen's Beast is an ancient mythical beast. It was considered a beneficent creature, signifying courage and strength combined with guardianship, vigilance, swiftness and keen vision. It was closely associated with Edward III who engraved it on his private seal. The shield shows the Round Tower of Windsor Castle (where Edward III was born) with the Royal Standard flying from the turret, enclosed by two branches of oak surmounted by the royal crown.
2017 The Red Dragon of Wales
The red dragon (Welsh: Y Ddraig Goch) is an ancient Welsh symbol, and a badge used by Owen Tudor. His grandson, Henry VII, claimed descent from Cadwaladr, the last of the line of Maelgwn whose association with the dragon came after Henry's reign. The beast holds a shield bearing a lion in each quarter; this was the coat of arms of Llywelyn ap Gruffudd, the last native Prince of Wales.
2018 The Unicorn of Scotland
From the end of the 15th century, two unicorns were adopted as the supporters of the Scottish Royal Arms. In 1603 the crown of England passed to James VI of Scotland, who then became James I of England. He took as supporters of his royal arms a crowned lion of England and one of his Scottish unicorns. The unicorn holds a shield showing the royal arms of Scotland, a lion rampant within a double tressure.
2018 The Black Bull of Clarence
The Black Bull of Clarence descended to the Queen through Edward IV. The shield shows the Royal Arms as they were borne by Edward IV and his brother Richard III as well as all the sovereigns of the Houses of Lancaster and Tudor. It is one of the most powerful and historically significant heraldic beasts in British history, serving as one of the ten famous The Royal Mint's Queen's Beasts. It represents strength, royalty, and the rise of the House of York during the War of the Roses.
2019 The Falcon of the Plantagenets
The falcon was first used by Edward III of the House of Plantagenet as his badge. It descended to Edward IV, who took it as his personal badge, the falcon standing within an open fetterlock. Originally closed, the slightly open fetterlock is supposed to refer to the struggle Edward IV had to obtain the throne — "he forced the lock and won the throne."
2019 The Yale of Beaufort
The Yale was a mythical beast, supposedly white and covered with gold spots and able to swivel each of its horns independently. It descends to the Queen through Henry VII, who inherited it from his mother, Lady Margaret Beaufort. The shield shows a portcullis surmounted by a royal crown. The portcullis was a Beaufort badge, but was used both crowned and uncrowned by Henry VII.
2020 The White Lion of Mortimer
The White Lion of Mortimer descends to the Queen through Edward IV, from Anne de Mortimer. The shield shows a white rose encircled by a golden sun, known heraldically as a 'white rose en soleil' which is really a combination of two distinct badges. Both of these appear on the Great Seals of Edward IV and Richard III, and were used by George VI when Duke of York. Unlike the Lion of England, this beast is uncrowned.
2020 The White Horse of Hanover
The White Horse of Hanover, or Saxon Steed, was introduced into the Royal Arms in 1714 when the crown of Great Britain passed to the Elector George of Hanover. This grandson of Elizabeth Stuart, sister of Charles I, became George I, King of Great Britain and Ireland. The shield shows the leopards of England and the lion of Scotland in the first quarter, the fleur-de-lis of France in the second (brought into the royal arms of England by King Edward II) and the Irish harp in the third quarter. The fourth quarter shows the arms of Hanover.
2021 The White Greyhound of Richmond
The White Greyhound of Richmond was a badge of John of Gaunt, 1st Duke of Lancaster, Earl of Richmond, third son of Edward III. It was also used by his son Henry IV and especially by Henry VII. The Tudor double rose can be seen on the shield, one rose within another surmounted by a crown. It symbolizes the union of the two cadet houses of Plantagenet – the House of York and the House of Lancaster.
2021 The Completer Coin
The Completer Coin completes the collection with each of the heraldic animals placed in a circle around the image of the late Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II.
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