Last Updated on February 15, 2024 by Ben
Great Britain Silver Queen’s Beasts
British Silver Queen’s Beasts coins are a special ten-year series of one unique royal symbol per year struck in two full ounces of silver. The coins are the latest release from The Royal Mint, and collectors have widely praised them for their beauty and quality. We would like to share some more information about these new Great Britain Silver Queen’s Beasts coins.
What are The Queen’s Beasts?
Great Britain has released a special one-of-a-kind coin series over ten years called The Queen’s Beast Coins consisting only of royal symbols bearing fractional 5-pound face value (£5). With such an interesting list including creatures like the unicorn, dragon, griffin, lion, etc., these investment opportunities provide collectors and investors alike plenty of options when it comes down to choosing which princely beast will be included.
Queen’s Beast Silver Coins
The Queen’s Beast silver coins from the Royal Mint first arrived in 2016. The bullion collection includes a 2 oz silver bullion coin that is available in 2016 and a 10 oz silver bullion coin that will be released in 2017. One of the most sought-after symbols in this series is the 2 oz. the silver bullion coin is significant because it’s the first 2 oz silver bullion coin ever minted by the Royal Mint.
Besides the bullion coins, there is a proof version of each silver Queen’s Beast coin design. Proof coins were not made until 2017. They are different from the bullion series that have been around before. The Proof Queen’s Beast coins are available in weights that include 1 oz, 5 oz, 10 oz, and 1 kilo.
Great Britain Silver Queen’s Beasts Background and History
Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation is the time that these silver coins are made. In 1953, when she was crowned in Westminster Abbey, ten heraldic beasts watched over the ceremony.
These Queen’s Beasts were originally created by James Woodford RA, and they stood six feet tall. They symbolized the various parts of Elizabeth’s family tree. All of the beasts utilized were basically inspired by the King’s Beasts made famous by Henry VIII, who still stands guard over Hampton Court Palace outside London.
These majestic, ancient world animals are the griffin, lion, bull, falcon yale dragon, unicorn, and greyhound horse. They have gained a new lease on life in Jody Clark’s designs for Royal Mint Coins.
The design for 2017 is the Griffin of King Edward III, an ancient mythological animal long regarded as a mystic yet benevolent creature embodying strength, courage, vigilance, swiftness, guardianship, and acute vision. King Edward III loved this animal so much that he had it engraved on his seal. In the shield of the coin is Windsor Castle, which was where King Edward III himself was born.
The Royal Standard soars gracefully on top of the turret and is surrounded by two oak branches that are topped with a crown. The griffin itself is determined to be a mythical creature of legends, as its tail comes from that of a lion’s body while it has wings like an eagle on top.
The griffin is a combination of two animals. The lion, the king of all beasts, and the eagle, which is the king of all birds. People used this animal to show power in heraldry because it was so strong and majestic. The griffin is the only animal that is both real and imagined. They guard treasures and are very valuable.
One of the oldest institutions in history, The Royal Mint has been producing coins for over 1,100 years. They now produce medals and other things for England as well as some foreign countries – all while keeping up with their original duties to issue English currency.
The Royal Mint has counted Sir Isaac Newton among its chiefs, and it has seen many kings and queens. It has also been there for technological, medical, and scientific advances. It has seen the rise and fall of some of history’s most powerful empires, whose territories spanned a quarter of the world. The empire was responsible for 90% percent of all islands in existence.
Great Britain Silver Queen’s Beasts Physical Characteristics
For those who wish to commemorate this monarch’s reign with a coin, the Silver Queen’s Beast is available in only one size and five British pounds denomination.
Coin Design
The obverse is always the front side of a coin. Great Britain Silver Queen’s Beasts have an obverse that displays one design year in and out, that being Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain. Besides her effigy and name, it denotes its face value as five pounds on the same surface, where you can also find information about weight & purity for silver coins produced by The Royal Mint.
When the reverse side of a coin is displayed, it’s common to see an entirely new theme. In 2017, this was one majestic griffin clenching its mighty wings as he clutched his shield in all four claws. These coins are not only beautiful and interesting but also noteworthy for their metal purity and weight.
Specifications
The specifications for the two-ounce Great Britain Silver Queen’s Beasts coins are as follows:
- Mass: 2 troy oz
- Thickness: 6 mm
- Diameter: 38.61 mm
- Content: 99.99% fine silver
Can IRA Accounts Contain Great Britain Silver Queen’s Beasts?
The IRS determines if silver coins like those of Great Britain are allowed to be part of an Individual Retirement Arrangement (IRA).
A retirement account can be opened by purchasing $5,000 in precious metals that the IRS sanctions. You must also purchase more gold and silver for a minimum of only $1,000 each to keep it going strong later on.
Adding physical silver like the Queen’s Beasts to your investments will give you a different type of investment. It is not the same as stocks or bonds. Silver prices are always lower than the other metals, like gold, platinum, and palladium. Silver is a good way to keep your investments safe because it is cheaper. This helps to account for the popularity of silver in precious metals IRAs.
To be permitted for inclusion in an IRA, silver coins must meet some very exacting standards. For example, they need to have a minimum of 99.9% purity and fineness if the IRS is going to give it their stamp of approval, which these Queen’s Beasts Silver Coins exceed with an impressive 100%.
The IRS has deemed Her Majesty’s beasts to be rather collectible instead of purely bullion coins, so they do not pass muster with them on the collectability factor. This is why it may not even be possible to put these coins in an IRA account. That does not mean that they are not good investments and that you can’t collect them. They have new designs every year.
You can buy the Great Britain Silver Queen’s Beasts coins from the Royal Mint or a number of reputable coin dealers. Two full ounces of silver are struck, and then you have your choice to buy it in uncirculated or proof condition.
Great Britain Silver Queen’s Beasts Pricing
Great Britain Silver Queen’s Beasts coins have a face value of five pounds sterling. The coins that were minted and circulated in the United Kingdom are still worth quite a lot! Silver values can be found on coinage for just about every country. However, no one really does this outside of collectors or people looking to invest their money into something tangible like silver because of its high face value.
The market value of these coins is not just based on the face design. Silver prices do go up and down every day, which adds a premium to their worth above what they would be at spot price alone, so there’s no need to panic if you see them drop in value.
Conclusion
The Queen’s Beast selection of silver coins from the British Royal Mint presented among the most favored coin series in the world. The Queen’s Beasts series of coins celebrate the coronation of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II with a monumental silver coin from each of ten celebrated royal beasts. Ten statues of mythical beasts stood guard at Her Majesty’s coronation ceremony in 1953, and now they are immortalized on these beautiful coins!