Description
Purchase pre-owned, good condition 1/4oz Gold Queen’s Beasts coins, 2016-2021
- Pre-owned, good condition coins
- Limited edition coin produced by The Royal Mint
- Popular 11 part Queen’s Beasts coin series
- Each 1/4oz Gold Beast contains 7.77 grams of 999.9 fine gold
- Price inclusive of insured delivery to a UK address
- Legal tender in the UK, CGT exempt (UK) VAT Free (UK/EC)
- Face value: £25 (GBP)
- UK Government assurance of weight and purity
- Bleyer Bullion is an authorised retailer of Royal Mint products
History of The Queen’s Beasts
At the coronation of Her Majesty The Queen, ten heraldic beasts stood guard. The Queen’s Beasts, sculpted by James Woodford RA for the coronation ceremony held in Westminster Abbey in 1953, stand six feet tall. The heraldic creatures symbolised the various strands of royal ancestry brought together in a young woman about to be crowned queen. Each proud beast, used as an 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.
Today, 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. But these mythical, ancient creatures – lions, griffin, falcon, bull, yale, greyhound, dragon, unicorn and horse.
1/4oz Queen’s Beasts Coin – Designs
This series of coins depict the The Queen’s Beasts, reimagined by highly-praised, Royal Mint Coin Designer Jody Clark. Jody created the definitive coinage portrait of The Queen to appear on United Kingdom coins.
Queen’s Beasts coins are UK legal tender and hence Capital Gains Tax free. By purchasing UK coins eligible for CGT exemption, you can avoid paying tax over the profit you make, the amount of this CGT free profit won’t affect or decrease the limit of tax free profit on your other investments either.
The UK government assures the weight and purity of each coin it produces, these limited-edition coins are designed for mass storage and safe transit, providing exceptional convenience for all bullion coin buyers.
The Lion of England 2016
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. Richard the Lionheart, son of Henry II, is famed for his three golden lions as the Royal Arms of England; and since the twelfth century, lions have appeared on the coat of arms of every British sovereign.
The Griffin of Edward III 2017
The Griffin is a mythical creature with the body of a lion and the head and wings of an eagle. The Griffin signifies 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 Red Dragon of Wales 2017
The Welsh (Celtic) Dragon appears on the national flag of Wales. The oldest recorded use of the dragon to symbolise Wales is in the Historia Brittonum, written around AD 829, but it is popularly supposed to have been the battle standard of King Arthur and other ancient Celtic leaders. The red dragon is often seen as symbolising all things Welsh, and is used by many public and private institutions.
The Unicorn of Scotland 2018
Unicorns have been associated with Royalty and heraldry since at least the time of the Romans. It’s not quite clear exactly when the Unicorn first appeared in Scottish heraldry, but one of the earliest examples is seen in the ‘Royal Coat of Arms’ at Rothesay Castle which is believed to have been carved sometime before the 15th century. The Unicorn was believed to be the natural enemy of the Lion, the Unicorn is often depicted with chains wrapped around him. This is a nod to this medieval belief that he was a dangerous creature.
The Black Bull of Clarence 2018
This beast descended to the Queen through Edward IV. The shield shows the Royal Arms as they were borne not only by Edward IV and his brother Richard III, but by all the Sovereigns of the Houses of Lancaster and Tudor.
The Falcon of the Plantagenets 2019
The Falcon passed to The Queen from the Plantagenet King Edward III. He chose the symbol to embody his love of hawking but it is also closely associated with his great-great-grandson, Edward IV. The white Falcon at The Queen’s coronation held a shield with a badge depicting a second white falcon within an open golden ‘fetterlock’ or padlock.
The Yale of Beaufort 2019
The Gold Queen’s Beast Yale is based on a mythical beast with characteristics of an antelope or goat, depending on the imagination of the artist and their desire to portray grace and elegance, or strength and determination. Strangely, it is said to have horns that can turn independently so in medieval illustrations it is often shown with horns pointing in different directions. The white and gold-spotted Yale of Beaufort has such horns along with the whiskers or ‘tushes’ of a boar.
The Yale of Beaufort was a symbol of Lady Margaret Beaufort, mother of Henry VII. The Yale of The Queen’s Beasts holds a shield with the blue and white quarters of Margaret’s arms but with a golden portcullis at the centre, a badge used by Henry VII. The portcullis is also part of the arms of Westminster City Council, which is home to Westminster Abbey where the coronation took place in 1953.
The White Lion of Mortimer 2020
The White Lion of Mortimer is the second lion to feature in this series. Unlike the fierce Lion of England, the White Lion sits uncrowned, with its tail between its legs, a pose representing loyalty and discipline.
Royal Mint product designer Jody Clark has portrayed the White Lion of Mortimer side-on to emphasise the most important parts of the Lion’s story – its mane, tail and shield.
The White Lion of Mortimer was inherited by The Queen from Edward IV who inherited the creature from his grandmother, heiress of the Mortimers. Edward sometimes used the White Lion as a supporter of his Royal Arms.
The White Lion holds a shield bearing the white rose of York combined with the sun’s golden rays – a symbol important to Edward IV, who saw the sun as a sign of good luck in battle.
Unlike the Lion of England, the White Lion of Mortimer bears no crown with blue tongue and claws rather than red. Heraldic lions are often ‘rampant’, standing with forepaws raised, but the Lion of Mortimer is often shown sitting rather like a tamed dog with its tail between its legs.
The White Lion holds a shield with a ‘white rose en soleil’, a white rose on a golden sun, a combination of emblems used by both Edward IV and Richard III. The Queen’s father, George VI used this badge when he was Duke of York.
The White Horse of Hanover 2020
George of Hanover became George I following the death of Queen Anne.
The White Horse of Hanover coin depicts the ninth heraldic statue present during the Queen’s coronation. The Arms of George I are carried by the Horse of Hanover, representing his sovereignty as King of Great Britain, France and Ireland across three quarters with the last quarter bearing the Arms of Hanover. This last quarter is then divided into three bearing the two leopards of Brunswick, the blue lion one Lüneburg and the White Horse of Hanover.
Royal Mint product designer Jody Clark has created another stunning design of this majestic horse at full gallop.
Some say Saxon hordes brought the White Horse to the country and is a familiar symbol in Kent. The difference between the Kentish White Horse and the White Horse of Hanover is the Kentish Horse is usually depicted as rearing or rampant whereas the White Horse of Hanover is displayed at full gallop.
The White Greyhound Of Richmond 2021
The White Greyhound Of Richmond coin depicts the heraldic statue present during the Queen’s coronation, bearing a shield of Tudor livery, white and green, with a Tudor Rose ensigned by a Royal Crown
The White Greyhound of Richmond was the arms of John of Gaunt, Earl of Richmond, son of Edward III. This badge was then adopted by Henry IV and then by Henry VII. His father, Edmund Tudor, was made Earl of Richmond and the white greyhound was associated with the Honour of Richmond. The Tudor double rose can be seen on the shield, one rose within another surmounted by a crown. It symbolizes the union of two of the cadet houses of the Plantagenet – York and Lancaster.
The Completer 2021
The Completer coin draws the Queen’s Beast series to a close in an exquisite fashion. The Completer coin is the eleventh and final release in the collection and depicts all ten heraldic statues present during the Queen’s coronation circled protectively around HRH The Queen.
The Royal Mint Background
The Royal Mint is a national treasure, making beautifully crafted coins and medals for countries all over the world. Over a thousand years of craftsmanship and artistry ensures every piece they strike is a long-lasting piece of history.
The Royal Mint is listed as an active Good Delivery Refiner by the London Bullion Market Association.
You may also be interested to find out more information regarding our 3rd party secure, fully insured storage facilities to protect your investment. More information on our vault storage services can be found HERE.
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