Top 10 Queen Elizabeth II Coins
Synopsis
As we come closer to HM Queen Elizabeth II’s 95th birthday, we decided to have a look at some of our favourite coins that have been released during her reign.
10. 2015 Perth Mint Year of the Goat 1 oz Silver Coin
The Perth Mint’s Lunar Series has been a firm favourite for many of our customers and 2015’s 1 oz silver goat is no exception. The goat (or sheep) is the 8th animal in the Chinese Lunar calendar, and with the number 8 considered lucky in China, these coins extra significance as the goat is said to bring growth and harmony. The coin features the fourth portrait of Queen Elizabeth by Ian Rank-Broadley.
We also think the Queen is The GOAT! (Greatest of All Time, that is!!)
9. 2012 Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee 1 kg Silver Proof Coin
Also from the Perth Mint, this coin celebrates 60 years of Queen Elizabeth’s reign and features a stunning reverse design of St. Edward’s Crown as worn by Her Majesty at her coronation. The size of the coin really shows the full detail of this fantastic commemorative piece, of which there were only 600 issued! We were fortuntate to be the exclusive UK distributor for these coins which means it would be difficult to get them anywhere else but here.
As the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee is also just around the corner, we thought it only fair that this coin made the list!
8. 2021 Elizabeth II 95th Birthday Gold Proof £5 Coin
One of the most recent coins in our selection, and our first pick from The Royal Mint, is the gold proof 95th Birthday £5 coin. Designed by Timothy Noad, the reverse pays homage to the life of Queen Elizabeth II by featuring a crowned Royal Cypher surrounded by the floral emblems of the four British nations. Our favourite detail on this coin is the text "MY HEART AND MY DEVOTION", a quote taken from The Queen's 1957 Christmas Day speech.
This is also the first coin in our list to feature the fifth portrait obverse, designed by Jody Clark.
These gold coins are also quite scarce, with only 655 being issued!
7. 2016 Elizabeth II 90th Birthday Silver Proof 5 oz Coin
Another Royal Mint coin! This 5 oz silver coin celebrates the 90th birthday of Queen Elizabeth II. It was designed by the painter and sculptor Christopher Hobbs, whose mosaics have appeared in Westminster Cathedral!
His design was inspired by the English rose as well as Queen Elizabeth II's love of flowers. It features a crowned 'EIIR' royal cypher with '90' below, circled by nine roses - one for each decade of her life. This 5 oz coin has a 65mm diameter, so you can see all the small details on the roses.
If you like this design, we also have it available in one kilo!
6. 2020 Music Legends: Queen Silver Proof 0.5 oz Coin
OK, we cheated a bit here, but that doesn't mean we can't celebrate two Queens!! One is royalty, the other is rock royalty. In fact, one of the reasons the band chose the name 'Queen' was because of the regal connotations associated with it. This silver coin was the first release in the Music Legends Series and celebrates 50 years since the formation of the legendary rock band.
Designed by Chris Facey, the reverse shows the band members' instruments; Brian May's guitar, John Deacon's bass, Roger Taylor's bass drum and Freddie Mercury's grand piano and iconic microphone. The keys on the piano are pressed down with the opening notes of Bohemian Rhapsody.
5. 2017 150th Anniversary of Canada Gold Proof Maple 4-Coin Set
Next up we have one of the world's most iconic coins! These gold proof maples were issued by The Royal Canadian Mint to mark the 150th anniversary of Canada. Designed by Lisa Thomson-Khan, the coins showcase a fresh twist on the classic maple design. These reverse proof coins feature a large maple leaf, falling on a bed of smaller leaves. Parts of the design are accented with platinum plating, making this set even more spectacular!
It's also worth mentioning that the obverse of these coins feature one of our favourite portraits of Queen Elizabeth II. The Canadian coinage portrait was designed by artist, Susanna Blunt, and has been used on coins since 2003.
4. 2018 Sapphire Jubilee Gold Proof Guinea 3-Coin Set - St. Helena
Next we have one of our most luxurious coin sets. Issued by the East India Company on behalf of St Helena, this 3-coin gold proof set commemorates the Sapphire Coronation Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II. It includes not one, but three guinea coins.
The reverse of each coin features emblems directly related to Her Majesty. The Royal Arms coin displays the heraldic lion of England and unicorn of Scotland, whilst the other coins feature the Royal Cypher and the Sovereign's Sceptre. The obverse shows a portrait of the Queen by Jody Clark.
Only 200 of these sets were produced, making them highly sought after by collectors.
3. 1957 Sovereign
How could we have a top 10 list and not include at least one sovereign? This 1957 coin is the first sovereign issued during the reign of Queen Elizabeth II. It's also the first year circulating sovereigns were issued since 1932!
The milled edge on the 1957 coin features 168 grains instead of the 108 grains maintained across other Elizabeth II gold sovereigns (with the exception of the 2021 95th Birthday sovereign). This makes the coins easily distinguishable from other dates.
The obverse design shows the first portarit of the Queen by Mary Gillick. This was used on UK coinage from 1953 until 1967. Benedetto Pistrucci's iconic depiction of St. George slaying the dragon appears on the reverse.
2. 2002 Golden Jubilee 13-Coin Gold Proof Coin Set
This isn't just one coin, it's 13! 2,002 of these 2002 dated coin sets were issued to celebrate the Queen's Golden Jubilee. The reason this set made it to number 2 in our top 10 is that it includes all the 2002 circulating coinage, plus the commemorative £5 coin AND four Maundy coin issues - all struck from 22 carat gold!
The set contains three obverse designs. The fourth coinage portrait by Ian Rank Broadley appears on the decimal coins, except for the crown, which has a one-off design of a robed Queen Elizabeth II (also by Ian Rank-Broadley). The Maundy coins feature the original coinage portrait by Mary Gillick. The different portraits link 1952 and 2002 together artistically.
1. 2021 95th Birthday Strike-on-the-Day Sovereign
There's only one coin that can be number one in our countdown... the 95th birthday sovereign! This brilliant uncirculated coin will be struck today (12th June 2021) to celebrate the official 95th birthday of Queen Elizabeth II.
In case you weren't aware, the Queen's 'official birthday' is held on the second Saturday in June. It isn't the Queen's actual birthday, but is a day for the Commonwealth to celebrate and honour Her Majesty. These coins were originally due to be issued on her actual birthday (21st April) however they were delayed due to the passing of Prince Philip.
The coins feature the 95th birthday cypher mintmark, which is exclusive to the 2021 proof and strike-on-the-day sovereigns. These brilliant uncirculated coins have a matte finish and a plain edge, which distinguishes them from the proof version. Matte sovereigns are always popular and we can't wait to get hold of these coins so we can see their amazing finish up close!
With only 1,295 of these coins being issued, they're sure to be in demand. Get them while you can!
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