The Queen's Beasts

Jump to a specific Queen's Beast coin below:

2016 - The Lion | 2017 - The Griffin of Edward III | 2017 - The Red Dragon of Wales | 2018 The Unicorn of Scotland
2018 - The Black Bull of Clarence | 2019 - The Falcon of the Plantagenets | 2019 - The Yale of Beaufort
2019 - The White Lion of Mortimer | 2020 - The White Horse of Hanover | 2020 - The White Greyhound of Richmond | 2021 - The Completer

Made by The Royal Mint, one of the world's best and finest producers of bullion coins, this gold and silver coin series started in 2016 and runs until 2021. High quality and satisfaction are guaranteed for everyone that buys into this exciting Queen's Beasts series.

The series will feature 10 different beasts, all of which were present as statues outside of Westminster Abbey for the Queen's coronation in 1953. These heraldic beasts were featured on royal family crests throughout British history, symbolising their power and lineage over the centuries.

The statues now reside in the Canadian Museum of History in Quebec, while replicas are on public display in Kew Gardens, London.

View our Gold Queen’s Beasts coins | View our Silver Queen’s Beasts coins

The Coins:

The obverse side of the coins features the latest portrait of Queen Elizabeth II, designed by the Royal Mint's own coin engraver, Jody Clark. At 33 years old, Clark became the youngest designer to create the Queen's portrait for the Royal Mint and the first and only employee of the Mint to ever have their portrait of a British monarch selected.

The reverse designs all bear the initials JC - referring to Clark - and were a collaborative effort by the Royal Mint's design team.

Struck at 99.99% pure gold or silver and with imperial designs, they are highly attractive to investors and collectors alike. BullionByPost® are a fully authorised Royal Mint Distributor.

• Gold Weight (g): 31.21 (1oz) or 7.81 (1/4oz)
• Silver Weight (g): 62.42 (2oz) or 312 (10oz)
• Fineness: 999.9
• Gold Dimensions: 32.69 mm diameter (1oz) or 22mm (1/4oz)
• Silver Dimensions: 38.61mm diameter (2oz) or 89.15mm (10oz)
• Legal Tender Value = Capital Gains Tax-free
• VAT Free (Gold coins only)
• Unlimited mintage (Initial launch of 5,000 gold coins and 100,000 silver coins, as per Britannia mintages)

Please note: The future release dates below are speculation based on the Royal Mint's previous release habits for the earlier Queen's Beast coins.

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2016: The Lion

The Lion is the first of the ten coin series to be released by the Royal Mint. It was the only coin in the series to be released in 2016.

Lions have been a common feature in English heraldry since the early 12th Century, when introduced by Richard I, the Lionheart, so it is fitting that the Royal Mint honoured this history by presenting a crowned lion roaring atop the Royal Coat of Arms.

View the gold Lion coin here or the silver Lion coin here. We also sell a 10oz silver Lion coin.

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2017: The Griffin of Edward III

The Griffin was the second coin in the Beasts series, and the first of two releases in 2017. It features the favourite beast of King Edward III, who had the creature appear on his private seal and many other emblems.

This griffin is a female, because males do not have wings. They are a hybrid mythological beast, comprised of parts from both eagles and lions, and are described as strong, observant guardians.

In this depiction, the griffin sits upon a wreathed Coat of Arms featuring the Round Tower of Windsor - Edward III's place of birth in 1312.

View the gold Griffin coin here or the silver Griffin coin here. We also stock a large 10oz silver version.

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2017: The Red Dragon of Wales

The Red Dragon of Wales is a famous symbol of this proud nation. The first appearance of the Dragon was in 829 AD, though some say it was first used by Cadwaladr, the King of Gwynedd, in the 7th Century. There's no evidence of this, but King Henry VII dubbed it 'The Red Dragon of Cadwaladr' and the Tudors used the red dragon on their ships, flags, and shields heavily.

Depicted on the Welsh flag, the ferocious winged beast appears mounted upon the Coat of Arms of Llywelyn for this coin. The badge was first used by Llywelyn the Great; Prince of Gwynedd (a county in north-west Wales) and eventually became the de-facto ruler, the 'Prince' of Wales, in the early 13th Century. His badge was later adopted as the Royal Badge of Wales, to honour the unity he brought to the nation.

View the gold Dragon coin here or the silver Dragon coin here. We also have a larger 10oz Dragon silver coin.

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2018: The Unicorn of Scotland

The Unicorn is Scotland's national animal. The mythical beast has been a Royal symbol since the 1200s, when James I introduced it to the newly combined Royal Arms of England and Scotland. Its origins come from Celtic mythology however, where it was seen as a symbol of purity, innocence, but also power.

For this coin's reverse, the Unicorn is rearing up over the Royal Arms of Scotland, which itself depicts a lion rampant. Many people question the chain around the Unicorn's neck, which is connected to a crown acting as a collar. This was symbolic that the Scottish kings had the power to tame a beast as unyielding as the mighty unicorn.

You can see our gold Unicorn coin here or the silver version of the coin here. We also have 10oz Unicorns.

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2018: The Black Bull of Clarence

The Black Bull of Clarence is the fifth release from the Queen's Beast series. The bull has ties to the House of York, and appears on the reverse of this coin rearing up over the Royal Arms.

In this instance, the coat of arms are those used by Edward IV - the first King of England from the House of York. The design features the classic golden lions of England, which have been ever-present since Richard I - the Lionheart, but also golden Fleur de Lis - styled lilies introduced to the coat of arms by Edward III to bolster his claim to the French throne.

View the gold Bull of Clarence coin here and the silver Bull of Clarence coin here.

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2019: The Falcon of the Plantagenets

The Falcon of the Plantagenets is the newest release from the Royal Mint for this Beasts series. The falcon was a favourite animal of King Edward III, who loved hawking, and the creature featured as a common emblem within the House of York.

The picture of the falcon sees the bird, wings spread, sat perched upon a badge bearing another white falcon. The smaller bird is sat within a fetterlock - an archaic padlock. The fetterlock was another popular symbol of the time, used by both the House of York and the House of Lancaster, but only the rightful monarch or the heir can use an opened fetterlock - others from the royal houses can only use closed locks.

Production of these coins will run throughout 2019. Click here for the gold Falcon coin or here for the silver Falcon coin.

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2019: The Yale of Beaufort

The Yale of Beaufort is the newest coin from the Royal Mint, released in February 2019. The Yale is a strange cross between an antelope and a goat, and was the symbol of Lady Margaret Beaufort - Henry VII's mother.

The image depicts this beast, with unusually directed horns, holding a shield split into quarters and with a large portcullis at the centre. This was a symbol of defence, used by her son Henry.

Click to view the Gold Yale of Beaufort 1oz coin or the Silver Yale of Beaufort 2oz coin.

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2019: The White Lion of Mortimer

The White Lion of Mortimer is another beast inherited by the Queen from Edward IV of the House of York, as is the Black Bull, and it was a favoured symbol of King George VI - Queen Elizabeth II's father - prior to his coronation.

The Mortimer lion has no crown and has a blue tongue. This lion also sits, rather than rearing up, and holds a Yorkist shield bearing a ‘white rose en soleil’ (golden sun) on a half and half background.

Previous iterations approximating this design appeared on the the Turks and Caicos Islands 25 Crowns coin issued in 1978, and the Jersey 50 Pence piece in 2013. Neither of these were Royal Mint authorised issues.

Interested in buying this coin? The White Lion of Mortimer 1oz gold coin and the White Lion of Mortimer 2oz silver coin are both available in our shop.

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2020: The White Horse of Hanover

George the First was the first Hanoverian to rule Britain in 1714. His German lineage, Haus Hanover, grew as an offshoot of the House of Brunswick-Lüneburg in the Duchy of Brunswick - an area since lost with Germany's declaration as a republic in 1918.

The White Horse is depicted rearing up over George I's Royal Coat of Arms. This is to show it is a Kentish horse, rather than the galloping German horse of Hanover. The emblem beneath is split into four, with a quarter referencing each of Britain (England & Scotland), France, Ireland, and Hanover (Brunswick, Lüneburg, and Hanover).

View the White Horse of Hanover 1oz gold coin or the White Horse of Hanover 2oz silver coin.

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2020: The White Greyhound of Richmond

PLEASE NOTE: The White Greyhound of Richmond is the tenth coin in the Queen's Beast series from The Royal Mint. As an official partner, our stock is predominantly newer releases direct from The Royal Mint. We advise any customers looking to buy older coins for their collection to set up email alerts on the specific coins they are missing, so that they are promptly informed as and when a coin is listed for sale.

The White Greyhound is a royal symbol most commonly associated with the Tudor king, Henry VII. It was a favourite of Henry due to its connection to his father, who had been the Earl of Richmond.

The greyhound appears with a studded collar and rests upon the Tudor Shield; a split shield with a crowned Tudor rose at the centre, typically depicted in heraldry in the white, green, and red of Wales - the Tudor homeland.

Buy Today! The White Greyhound of Richmond 1oz gold coin, White Greyhound of Richmond 1/4oz gold coin, and the White Greyhound of Richmond 2oz silver coin are all in stock in our store!

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2021: The Queen's Beast Completer Coin

The Completer Coin is the 11th and final coin in the Royal Mint's Queen's Beast series.

The final coin in the Queen's Beast series, the Completer Coin is a capstone piece for the 11 coin collection, designed to present all 10 beasts portrayed in the collection.

As with the previous coins, both obverse and reverse have been designed by the Mint's own Jody Clark, and demand is high for this illustrious conclusion to what has been one of The Royal Mint's most successful coin series to date.

View the Completer 1oz gold coin or read about The Royal Mint's 10 kilo 'masterwork' coin.

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You can find all of the coins above linked to their connected products, but for more assistance or information please call us on 0121 634 8060 or email us at support@bullionbypost.co.uk. Our helpful staff are ready and waiting to assist in any way they can.