2016 Great Britain Queen's Beast (Lion) 2 oz Silver Coin

The British Royal Mint started a new series honoring the 2016 Great Britain 2 oz Silver Queen's Beast Coin the first UK bullion coin struck from .9999 pure silver and also the first one with the 2 oz. size. Moreover, the British Royal Mint released this stunning coin as the first issue in a 10-coin series. The series depict a new design of the ten heraldic beasts which were present at The Queen’s coronation in 1953, making this coin a unique and excellent collectible for passionate numismatists.

At the coronation of Her Majesty The Queen, 10 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 symbolized the various strands of royal ancestry brought together in a young woman about to be crowned queen. 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.

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 – have gone on to inspire the highly-praised new talent, Royal Mint Coin Designer Jody Clark.

The Lion of England Queen's Beast is the crowned golden lion of England which has been one of the supporters of the Royal Arms since the accession of James I in 1603. It is supporting a shield showing the Arms of the United Kingdom as they have been since Queen Victoria came to the throne in 1837. In the first and last quarters of the shield are the lions of England. The lion and treasure of Scotland appear in the second, and the harp of Ireland is in the third.

The Barbary lion is a national animal of England. Lion was the nickname of England's medieval warrior rulers with a reputation for bravery, such as Richard I of England, known as Richard the Lionheart. Lions are frequently depicted in English heraldry, either as a device on shields themselves, or as supporters. They also appear in sculpture, and sites of national importance, such as Trafalgar Square. The lion is used as a symbol of English sporting teams, such as the England national cricket team.

Coin Highlights:

• Struck of 2 troy ounces of .9999 pure silver.
• Brilliant Uncirculated coin with a face value of 5 GBP.
• Legal tender coin backed by the British Government.
• 1st issue in the 10-coin Heraldic Beast series.
• The first 2 oz. official silver bullion coin in the UK.
• First .9999 fine silver bullion coin from the Royal Mint.
• Singles come in plastic coin flip. Lots of 10 in mint-issued tubes, Lots of 200 in monster box.
• Obverse: Features the latest right profile portrait of Queen Elizabeth II, designed by Jody Clark. Also on this side is the inscription "ELIZABETH II D.G. REG. F.D." which is shortened for "Elizabeth II, by the grace of God, Queen and Defender of the Faith," and the coin’s face value.
• Reverse: Depicts the new image of the impressive Lion of England - one of the ten heraldic beasts also redesigned by Jody Clark. The lion is engraved as standing on its hind legs, and the heraldic shield of Britain is positioned in front of it. Its image is surrounded by the coin’s purity, weight, metal content and mintage year.