Information about effigy: Cruciform Shields England / Scotland / Ireland

This design features a cruciform of four crowned shields (forming a cross). The shields bear the arms of England (repeated top and bottom): three lions "passant guardant", Scotland (right): a rampant lion, and Ireland (left): a harp.

In the angles are four sceptres dividing the shields, surmounted respectively by an orb with cross (for England), thistle (for Scotland), and harp (for Ireland), or the national flowers of the three nations - rose, thistle, and shamrock..

The symbol was used by the monarchs of Great Britain and (later) of the United Kingdom on some of their coinage, where it show on the reverse - the obverse being reserved by tradition for the effigy of the monarch.