Posts Tagged ‘Queen Elizabeth’
A History of Queen Elizabeth II on Coins
From the post boxes on the street to the change in our pockets, each day we are reminded of our late monarch – Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II (1926 – 2022).
And, with 29 billion individual coins in circulation in the UK – the majority of which carry an image of Her Majesty – her likeness will forever be etched in our memories and passed down for generations on our coinage.
These very coins offer a window into the past and retell the history of Her Majesty’s 70 year reign through the changing portraits seen on our coinage.
Portraits of the Queen
The Young Queen | 1953 – 67: Mary Gillick
The first coins of Queen Elizabeth’s reign featured Mary Gillick’s portrait of the young Queen, created especially for the new coins in 1953.
The “Decimal Queen” | 1968 – 84: Arnold Machin RA
With the decimalisation of the UK’s coinage on the horizon, it was decided to refresh the Queen’s portrait with Arnold Machin’s new effigy of the Queen. Commissioned in 1964, it first appeared in 1968 on the new 5p and 10p coins.
The Grandmother | 1985 – 97: Raphael Maklouf
Raphael Maklouf aimed “to create a symbol, regal and ageless” when he created the new effigy of Her Majesty. This coincided with the Queen’s early years as a grandmother and depicts Queen Elizabeth II wearing the royal diadem worn on the way to and from the State Opening of Parliament.
Millennium Queen | 1998 – 2014: Ian Rank-Broadley FRBS
As the Millennium approached, a fourth effigy was released onto our coinage, designed by Ian Rank-Broadley. Its larger size filled the full circle of the coin and was a deliberate response to the smaller 5p and 10p coins in circulation. This more mature portrayal of Her Majesty aimed to show the Queen with “poise and bearing”.
The Longest Reigning Monarch | 2015 – 2022: Jody Clark
The final portrait of Her Majesty was introduced in 2015 – the year that the Queen passed Victoria as our longest reigning monarch. It is, of course, that design that will continue to remind us of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II for years to come, as her old currency continues to circulate long after her death.
Special Obverse Designs
Not only will the Queen be remembered for her portraits on coins, but for two very special obverse designs.
The first dates back to the very first coin released for Queen Elizabeth II – her Coronation Crown in 1953. The second was from the 2022 Platinum Jubilee coins.
Both picture the Queen on horseback, celebrating Her Majesty with her greatest love – horses. Surely there can be no better way to remember Her Majesty than through these two great designs. If you’re lucky enough to have either in your collection, let us know in the comments below!
Do you have a favourite coin portrait or obverse design on Her Majesty? Leave a comment to share yours.
Commemorate Her Majesty on Coins
As you can imagine, demand for QE II coinage is at an all-time high.
Don’t miss the chance to fill the gaps in your royalty coin collection here >>
Your guide to collecting King Charles III coins
Since the passing of Queen Elizabeth II in September 2022, there’s been a huge shake up in the numismatic world. Not only have collectors been rushing to secure the very last coins featuring the late Queen, but wanting to be the first to own new coins bearing King Charles III’s effigy.
Here are some tips to guide you in building your King Charles III coin collection.
1. Use cash
It may seem obvious, but the best way to increase your chances of finding a King Charles coin in your change is to use cash. And where possible, ask for your change to be given in the denominations you’re interested in.
For example, if you’re looking for the Queen Elizabeth Memorial 50p, which is the first coin to enter circulation featuring the King on the obverse, ask for your change in 50ps.
2. Look closely
Make sure you’re looking closely at the coins in your change to check whether you have a commemorative coin, especially one featuring His Majesty.
The most obvious difference will be the effigy on the obverse of the coin. But it’s also a good idea to familiarize yourself with the reverse designs of commemorative coin so you know what you’re looking out for.
3. Do your research
The best way to identify coins you’ve found in your change is by using our Change Checker Web App.
Simply select the denomination, year and obverse monarch of the coin you’ve found to view all the possible coins it could be. You’ll find information like mintage figures and facts about the theme or designer.
You can also find much more information about your coin on our blog.
4. Check our scarcity index
Something else you’ll find on our web app is where each coin ranks on our scarcity index.
We combine mintage figures with how often a coin has been listed in collections to determine how scarce and sought after each coin is. Our scarcity index is updated quarterly as there can be some pretty big shake ups in the rankings.
5. Swap with others
If you’re looking for a specific coin and aren’t having any luck finding it in your change, you can use the swap centre on our web app or our Facebook community group to swap coins with other collectors.
Who knows, someone else might just have the coin you’re looking for!
Happy Hunting!
So there you have it, 5 tips you can use to start collecting King Charles III coins!
You may already have an impressive collection including some new King Charles coins. If so, post a photo of yours on social media and tag us, we’d love to see them!
Receive new UK coins without the hassle of placing orders on the day of release!
Royal Canadian Mint mark the end of Queen Elizabeth II coinage with Limited Edition Collector’s Set
The Royal Canadian Mint are marking the end of Queen Elizabeth II’s circulating coinage in 2023 with a Limited Edition Collector’s Set of coins.
Packaged in a royal purple presentation to pay tribute to the Queen, these extraordinary coins mark the end of a remarkable reign, and the end of an era in Canadian coins.
Limited Edition Queen Elizabeth II Coins
Each coin’s obverse is double-dated (“1952-2022”) to commemorate Her Majesty’s reign and is marked by four pearls symbolizing the four effigies that have graced Canadian coins during that time
These six coins will not enter circulation and are limited to JUST 50,000 WORLDWIDE! Considering the recent surge in demand for Queen Elizabeth II coins, stock surely won’t last long…
Change Checker has fortunately managed to secure an initial allocation of just 250 sets for collectors. But you’ll need to act fast to secure yours.
Click here to get yours for £35 (+p&p) >>
Royal Canadian Mint’s history of popular Queen Elizabeth II coins
2022 Queen Elizabeth Memorial $2
In December 2022, The Royal Canadian Mint issued a unique Queen Elizabeth II memorial $2 coin.
Just shy of 5 million $2 coins entered circulation.
However, when you consider Canada’s population is over 38 million, you’ll appreciate just how sought-after this coin is.
The obverse features the portrait of Queen Elizabeth II, created by Susanna Blunt and the reverse features the traditional $2 Polar Bear design by Brent Townsend.
But, what makes this $2 coin extra special is the outer ring…
The outer ring features a striking black nickel finish and is reminiscent of a mourning band, in a touching tribute to Her Majesty.
Selectively coloured Insulin $2 coin
To mark the 100th anniversary of the discovery of Insulin, The Royal Canadian Mint issued this a special collector’s coin set.
Featured in the set was this unusual selectively coloured $2 coin.
It’s rare to see colour printing on a £2 coin – it’s only been seen once in 20 years in the UK!
Just 100,000 sets were issued for collectors worldwide, with this being the only way people could get their hands on the individual $2.
Thousands queue online for Queen Elizabeth II coins
Demand for Queen Elizabeth II coins was particularly felt at Mints around the world, following the sad news of her passing on 8th September.
Collectors heading to The Royal Australian Mint websites faced long queues, with coins issued within the previous few weeks in very high demand.
Considering the popularity of Royal Canadian Mint’s coins, paired with this being the last official Canadian Queen Elizabeth II Coin Set, we expect collector demand to be very high.
Don’t miss out! Order your Canada 2023 Collector’s Edition Set today
We have an initial allocation of JUST 250 sets available for Change Checkers. Don’t miss out!
