Silver Ounce 2024 Royal Tudor Beasts - Tudor Dragon, Coin from United Kingdom - detailed information

Like many other mints, the Royal Mint issues bullion coins in precious metals, having much higher intrinsic value than their face value. The one ounce (1 oz) silver coins are denominated as either two pounds (£2) or five pounds (£5), depending on the occasion.

Initially, these were only of the Britannia type, but in 2015 the Royal Mint started to use the format for coins with other types of reverse designs, celebrating various aspects of British heritage.

The coins are legal tender but are not intended for circulation. They are targeted at bullion investors or collectors who appreciate the special editions as pieces of art.

This coin type is the sixth out of ten designs from the Royal Tudor Beasts Collection - coins depicting heraldic animals representing the Medieval Tudor dynasty which ruled England between 1485 and 1603, and features The Tudor Dragon.

The Moat Bridge, the main entrance to Hampton Court Palace built by King Henry VIII, is adorned by ten stone guardians. Each fearsome Royal Beast holds historic meaning and the ten figures evenly represent Henry VIII and his third wife, Jane Seymour. These regal protectors provided the inspiration for The Royal Tudor Beasts Collection from The Royal Mint.

In their astute employment of beasts, the Tudor dynasty aimed to convey symbolic representations of their virtues and strengths by invoking animals previously associated with earlier royal lineages. The Tudor Dragon stands on the left side of the Moat Bridge, serving as a symbol of valour and bravery, assuming the role of a vigilant guardian poised to safeguard the gate.

Owen Tudor, Henry VIII’s great-grandfather, adopted the dragon to highlight his Welsh ancestry, tracing back to the King of Gwynedd in the seventh century. After winning the Battle of Bosworth Field, Henry VII used a red dragon on a white and green background as his emblem when he entered St Paul’s Cathedral.