| Coin | Silver Quarter Ounce 2021 Red Dragon of Wales |
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Like many other mints, the Royal Mint issues bullion coins in precious metals, having much higher intrinsic value than their face value. The quarter-ounce (1/4 oz) silver coins are denominated as fifty pence (50p).
This coin type is the third from a series of ten coin designs known as the Queen's Beasts.
The Queen's Beasts are British coins issued by the Royal Mint in platinum, gold, and silver since 2016. Each of the coins in the series features a stylised version of one of the heraldic Queen's Beasts statues present at the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II representing her royal line of ancestry. It was announced that engraver Jody Clark will design the entire series; he is best known for also designing the Queen's Fifth definitive portrait, which is on the obverse of the coins - so he is in the rare position of having designed both sides.
The Queen's Beasts heraldic statues representing the genealogy of Queen Elizabeth II stood in front of the temporary western annexe to Westminster Abbey for the Queen's coronation in 1953. Each of The Queen's Beasts consists of an heraldic beast supporting a shield bearing a badge or arms of a family associated with the ancestry of Queen Elizabeth II. They were commissioned by the British Ministry of Works from sculptor James Woodford. The statues were uncoloured except for their shields at the coronation. They are now on display in the Canadian Museum of History. There are other statues of the Queen's Beasts, sometimes referred to as the King's Beasts, at Hampton Court Palace and Kew Gardens in London, and on the roof of St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle.
The Red Dragon of Wales (Welsh: Y Ddraig Goch) was a badge used by Owen Tudor, after the story of the dragon on Llewelyn the Last's castle grounds. His grandson, King Henry VII, took it as a token of his supposed descent from Cadwaladr, the last of the line of Maelgwn. During the reigns of the Tudor monarchs, the red dragon was used as a supporter in the English Crown's coat of arms (one of two supporters, along with the traditional English lion). 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.
The quarter-ounce silver coin was issued as part of a ten-coin set on 28 June 2021, wrapping up the series. |
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| Obverse | |
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The obverse of the coin depicts the crowned old head of Queen Elizabeth II facing right, wearing the Royal Diamond Diadem crown worn for her Coronation (her effigy known as the "Fifth Portrait").
In small letters below the head, the artist's initials J.C (for Jody Clark).
Running continuously around the effigy is the monarch's legend: ELIZABETH II · D · G · REG · F · D · 50 PENCE ·. Translated from Latin: Elizabeth the Second, by the Grace of God, Queen, Defender of the Faith, followed by the value and denomination in English.
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| Reverse | |
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The reverse features a dynamic depiction of the rearing Red Dragon of Wales, facing left. 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.
Around below, the inscription RED DRAGON OF WALES. Around above, interrupted by the dragon's head, the date · 2021 ·.
The artist's initials JC (for Jody Clark) are in the lower right field next to the shield. |
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| Reverse Inscription |
RED DRAGON OF WALES · 2021 · |
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| Edge | Milled | Edge Inscription | None |
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| Notes | Finish: Proof FDC, reverse frosted (with polished designs and frosted surfaces).
Packaging and distribution: in mint set only.
The final mintage quoted in the mint's 2020 sales report is 1,240 sets, plus 100 "The Queens Beasts 2021 UK Quarter Ounce Silver Reverse Frosted Ten-Coin Collection - Trade Packaging". |
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| Included in Set |
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The Queen’s Beasts 2021 UK Quarter-Ounce Silver Proof Ten-Coin Set, mintage 1,240, limited to 1,250
10 coins: Lion of England, Unicorn of Scotland, Red Dragon of Wales, Black Bull of Clarence, Falcon of the Plantagenets, Yale of Beaufort, White Lion of Mortimer, White Horse of Hanover, White Greyhound of Richmond, Griffin of Edward III
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