The Royal Mint - Mint Edition 04 by The Royal Mint

Meet the Makers

Made to Celebrate

A Historic Event

As we launch one of our largest collections to date, we talk to the designers behind the coins in our new Platinum Jubilee collection.

Take a look inside our Platinum Jubilee special as we mark Her Majesty The Queen’s 70-year reign.

Professor Kate Williams looks back through Queen Elizabeth II’s record-breaking reign.

Welcome to Mint Edition Throughout our 1,100-year history, we have been trusted to mark the Royal Family’s most significant milestones. This year, Her Majesty The Queen will celebrate yet another historic achievement when she becomes the first British monarch to reach a Platinum Jubilee. To commemorate Her Majesty’s 70 years as queen, we are joining the nation in celebration by launching one of our largest coin collections to date.

A National Celebration

Since Her Majesty inherited the throne in 1952, the world has watched her grow into a widely admired global icon. In the third issue of Mint Edition, we take a closer look at Queen Elizabeth II’s record-breaking reign and talk to historians and coin designers about this unprecedented anniversary.

Behind the Design with John Bergdahl

We take a look at the significance of The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee and introduce some of the coins that have been struck by The Royal Mint for this momentous occasion.

John Bergdahl, one of the United Kingdom’s most experienced coinage artists, discusses the inspiration behind his coin designs celebrating Her Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee.

Behind the Design with Timothy Noad

The Queen’s Sovereigns

Historic Jubilees

Protectors of the Palace

Throughout his career, the heraldic artist Timothy Noad has created three reverse designs for The Sovereign. He tells us what it was like to design the reverse of the 2022 Sovereign in honour of the Platinum Jubilee.

Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee will be a source of great celebration but how have other British monarchs marked their jubilees?

Throughout Her Majesty’s reign, we have marked each of her milestone jubilees with a special edition of The Sovereign.

Our Royal Tudor Beasts Collection is inspired by the ten statues that line the moat at Hampton Court Palace. Here, we unleash the first coin in the collection – the Seymour Panther.

Made to Serve

A Portrait Fit for a Queen

Made to Celebrate

The renowned author and royal historian Professor Kate Williams takes a look back at Queen Elizabeth II’s remarkable reign.

We look back at the five definitive coinage portraits that have shaped The Queen’s time as monarch.

This year’s Annual Sets feature five specially selected commemorative coins honouring remarkable individuals, special events and milestone moments that make 2022 a year to remember. JANUARY 2022 EDITION

Celebrating 70 Years We are extremely proud of our associations with the Royal Family and in 2022, we celebrate once more as we mark Her Majesty The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. Since 2015, Queen Elizabeth II has been Britain’s longest-reigning monarch and this year, Her Majesty will make history by becoming the first British monarch to have reigned for 70 years. Since Her Majesty inherited the throne in 1952, we have struck every UK coin during her reign, which have featured five different definitive coinage portraits. We have also produced coins commemorating The Queen’s Silver, Gold and Diamond Jubilees. In recognition of Queen Elizabeth II’s latest and unprecedented

royalmint.com

achievement, we are launching a new collection to celebrate Her Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee. “The Royal Mint has a proud tradition of striking coins for Her Majesty The Queen since her accession to the throne in 1952 so it is a fitting celebration to be commemorating the Platinum Jubilee with one of the largest coin collections in our 1,100-year history. To celebrate the momentous occasion, our Platinum Jubilee collection includes the first UK 50p coin to celebrate a royal event. Its beautiful

design represents The Queen’s landmark 70 years on the throne and includes the royal cypher at the heart of the design. The range includes a UK £5 coin – a traditional commemorative crown – and a unique commemorative obverse portrait depicting The Queen on horseback to mark this remarkable milestone achieved by Britain’s longest-reigning monarch.” Anne Jessopp, Chief Executive of The Royal Mint Read on to find out more.

A National Celebration

A National Celebration In 1977, we marked Her Majesty The Queen’s Silver Jubilee with a coin that found its way into countless memory boxes. The coin was the prime memento of the occasion and came to symbolise the national mood of celebration and togetherness, the numerous street parties and bunting, and the time spent with family and friends. In 2002, we struck coins for The Queen’s Golden Jubilee as the United Kingdom revelled once more. And there can be no forgetting the sights and sounds of 2012 – the year of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games and The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, which saw the public paint the town red, white and blue throughout the summer. In 2017, we released a coin celebrating Her Majesty’s Sapphire Jubilee and now, in 2022, we are celebrating The Queen’s unprecedented Platinum Jubilee.

Reaching a Platinum Jubilee is an unrivalled achievement for Her Majesty, as not only is The Queen the world’s longest-reigning living monarch but this year she will once again make history, as she becomes the first British king or queen to reach 70 years as monarch. Since inheriting the throne from her father George VI in 1952, Queen Elizabeth II has been a source of reassurance and stability. The world has changed greatly over the past seven decades but Her Majesty’s devotion to public service has

never wavered, even at the age of 95. This loyal work ethic is why she is so widely respected and admired, and why her Platinum Jubilee is such a cause for national celebration. To mark this significant occasion, we have created one of our largest coin collections to date, utilising the skills of some of Britain’s most experienced coinage artists, engravers and craftspeople. Own a piece of history and commemorate this special moment with a coin or set from our Platinum Jubilee collection.

JANUARY 2022 EDITION

A National Celebration

The Platinum Jubilee of Her Majesty The Queen

2 0 2 2 U K 1 k g S I LV E R

2022 U K £5 P L AT I N U M P R O O F

2022 UK 50p GOLD

PROOF COIN

PIEDFORT COIN

PROOF COIN

Code: UK22PJKS

LEP: 125

Code: UK22PJPL

LEP: 52

Code: UK22P50G

LEP: 400

Price: £2,330.00

MCM: 147

Price: £5,495.00

MCM: 82

Price: £1,095.00

MCM: 580

The Platinum Jubilee of Her Majesty The Queen

2022 UK 5oz GOLD PROOF COIN

2022 UK £5 GOLD PROOF COIN

2022 U K 50p P L AT I N U M P R O O F CO I N

Code: UK22PJG5 | Price: £11,430.00 LEP: 120 | MCM: 136

Code: UK22PJGP | Price: £2,725.00 LEP: 500 | MCM: 650

Code: UK22P50P | Price: £1,395.00 LEP: 70 | MCM: 150

The Platinum Jubilee of Her Majesty The Queen

2 0 2 2 U K 5 o z S I LV E R P R O O F C O I N

2 0 2 2 U K £ 5 S I LV E R P R O O F

2 0 2 2 U K 5 0 p S I LV E R P R O O F

Code: UK22PJS5 | Price: £465.00 LEP: 700 | MCM: 1,056

PIEDFORT COIN

Code: UK22PJPF | Price: £172.50 LEP: 1,952 | MCM: 2,162

Code: UK22P5PF | Price: £102.50 LEP: 2,500 | MCM: 2,510

2022 UK 2oz GOLD PROOF COIN

The Platinum Jubilee of Her Majesty The Queen

Code: UK22PJG2 | Price: £4,775.00 LEP: 200 | MCM: 206

2 0 2 2 U K £ 5 S I LV E R P R O O F C O I N

2 0 2 2 U K 5 0 p S I LV E R P R O O F C O I N

Code: UK22PJSP | Price: £92.50 LEP: 5,000 | MCM: 6,905

Code: UK22P50S | Price: £57.50 LEP: 5,000 | MCM: 7,605

2 0 2 2 U K 2 o z S I LV E R P R O O F C O I N

The Platinum Jubilee of Her Majesty The Queen

Code: UK22PJS2 | Price: £185.00 LEP: 1,000 | MCM: 1,006

2022 UK £5 BRILLIANT

2022 UK 50p BRILLIANT

The Platinum Jubilee of Her Majesty The Queen

U N C I R C U L AT E D CO I N

Code: UK22PJBU | Price: £10.00 LEP: Unlimited | MCM: Unlimited

Code: UK22P5BU | Price: £7.00 LEP: Unlimited | MCM: Unlimited

The Platinum Jubilee of Her Majesty The Queen 2022 UK £5 BRILLIANT U N C I R C U L AT E D CO I N

Available exclusively from The Royal Mint, this coin features a special edge inscription and comes in limited-edition premium packaging. Code: UK22PJBE | Price: £18.00 LEP: 10,000 | MCM: 10,010

royalmint.com

To order from our Platinum Jubilee collection, call 0800 03 22 152 or visit royalmint.com/platinumjubilee

Behind the Design

Behind the Design with John Bergdahl John Bergdahl is one of the United Kingdom’s most experienced coinage artists and was a natural choice to help us commemorate Her Majesty The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. For this once-in-a-lifetime event, John created two regal reverse designs along with a commemorative equestrian portrait of The Queen. Here, he tells us more about his process and the inspiration behind the designs. As an artist, John explains that his inspiration usually comes in a ‘flash’, although like so many of us, he says, ‘Once the idea has taken root, I then spend a day or two drinking coffee and staring at the wall while the idea comes to fruition!’ Whilst John acknowledged the very special nature of this event, his process remained the same. As soon as he decided to pursue a heraldic approach, he carefully considered these ideas before committing them to paper: “Images began to formulate in my mind, aided in this instance by having worked for almost 60 years as a heraldic engraver and antique restorer in the silver industry. My first design, for the larger coins, comprises the royal cypher displayed within a rococo-style cartouche made popular in the latter half of the eighteenth century. The second design displays the Royal Arms within a royal mantle – a heraldic device often used on coins in the past.”

acknowledges that he has ‘been fortunate enough to be involved with many commissions marking royal celebrations; this one is certainly right up there when judging the importance of the occasion.’ John Bergdahl is a sculptor by trade who has also become an experienced coin designer, creating numerous designs for UK coins, including the reverse for the Britannia 2008 UK coin and coins celebrating the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

He has also created many designs marking historical occasions, including the reverse design for the UK £2 coin commemorating the Mary Rose along with reverse designs for coins commemorating Magna Carta and the Battle of Hastings. Creating designs honouring Alfred the Great, Henry VIII and Queen Victoria, John has marked many royal milestones and anniversaries in British history. He has also created celebratory designs commemorating members of the Royal Family, including christenings and other special occasions.

John is one of the few artists collaborating with The Royal Mint who still works in plaster and therefore has a lot of experience working with our Product Design team. He originally submitted his designs as drawings and later, in time-honoured style and with skills honed from years of practice, modelled them in plaster of Paris. With such intricate detailing, the most challenging and time-consuming part of the assignment was the detailed edging on the royal mantle. To be involved in such a unique and historic celebration is not something every artist can claim. On this occasion, John pragmatically

JANUARY 2022 EDITION

Behind the Design

Inspired by royal symbols and rococo elements, including scrolls and florals, this reverse design appears on the five-ounce, ten-ounce, one kilo, two-kilo and five-kilo editions in the collection.

“I decided to make use of the royal cypher (EIIR) and looked for a way of differentiating it from the modern more simplistic, minimalistic treatment and adopt a richer, more regal, portrayal. To achieve that, I looked to the past and decided to utilise the kind of rococo cartouche used in the mid eighteenth century.”

Inspired by regal emblems that have appeared on coins throughout history, this ornate reverse design appears on the quarter-ounce, two-ounce and UK £5 coins in the collection.

Reminiscent of the 1952 coronation crown created by Gilbert Ledward RA, this equestrian obverse portrait of The Queen features Her Majesty on horseback in the uniform of the Horse Guards.

“I looked to the past and made use of the royal mantle surround, which I believe was used on the coins of William IV.”

“I decided to differentiate the familiar equestrian portrait by including the royal garter taken from the Royal Coat of Arms.”

John Bergdahl

royalmint.com

Made to Serve

Made to Serve When Her Majesty The Queen reaches her Platinum Jubilee, she will make history as the first British king or queen to mark 70 years as monarch. Here, the royal historian and author Professor Kate Williams takes a look back at The Queen’s truly remarkable reign.

“‘… my whole life whether it be long or short shall be devoted to your service,’ said The Queen, then Princess Elizabeth, on her 21st birthday. “On 8 May 1945, Princess Elizabeth and Princess Margaret went out onto the streets of London to celebrate the end of the Second World War. As The Queen later said, ‘I remember lines of unknown people linking arms and walking down Whitehall, all of us just swept along on a tide of happiness and relief.’ The heir to the throne, then 19, dressed in her uniform – that of the ATS, the Auxiliary Territorial Service – danced in the streets with the joyous public and cheered on Pall Mall for the appearance of the king and queen – her parents – on the balcony of Buckingham Palace. Within seven years of that joyous day, the king had passed away and Princess Elizabeth was queen, at 25 years old. “… Queen Elizabeth II was born in April 1926 to the Duke of York, known as Bertie, and his wife Elizabeth, Duchess of York, only a few years after suffragettes had secured the vote for women over the age of 30 and only eight years after the end of the First World War. When she was just three years old, the bubble of investment and spending burst with the Wall Street Crash and Britain, America and much of the world were plunged into the Great Depression. Princess Elizabeth’s childhood was largely untouched – her parents cherished her and the family lived in a large townhouse

in Piccadilly, visiting Windsor often, where she learned to ride. She was an object of fascination and when her parents toured Australia and New Zealand when she was just a toddler, they were swamped with toys for the princess. As the child of the king’s second son, she was destined for marriage not the throne. “In January 1936, George V died and his eldest son – the Prince of Wales – became Edward VIII. In early December of that year, the king announced he was abdicating to marry the divorcee Mrs Wallis Simpson. Princess Elizabeth’s father, who had always preferred to be in the background, became King George VI. At the age of ten, Princess Elizabeth was suddenly first in line to the throne. “In 1947, two years after celebrating VE Day with the crowds outside Buckingham Palace, Princess Elizabeth married Prince Philip of Greece and Denmark in Westminster Abbey, wearing a dress festooned with imagery of spring and rebirth. The wedding was greeted with an outpouring of excitement – engagement gifts by the dozen were sent by heads of state and the public alike. The young couple settled in Clarence House and had their first two children, Prince Charles and Princess Anne. “In February 1952, the royal couple was travelling in Kenya, spending time at a treehouse lodge over an animal watering hole. On the morning of the sixth, her father

passed away. Buckingham Palace sent the announcement to the princess and thought it had been received but it had not. Instead, her private secretary heard the news from a journalist and Prince Philip had to tell his wife that her father had died and she was now queen. They returned to Britain and The Queen took the position as monarch of the United Kingdom. “… The Queen is a great-great-grandchild of Queen Victoria and related to the Tudor and Stuart monarchs but she reigns not rules. As she said in 1957, the role of a monarch had changed: ‘I cannot lead you into battle, I do not give you laws or administer justice but I can do something else, I can give you my heart and my devotion to these old islands and to all the peoples of our brotherhood of nations.’ “Throughout her reign, The Queen has dedicated herself to creating and fostering unity in the United Kingdom and Commonwealth. At the start of her reign, the television was a new invention gaining momentum in the post-war world and Her Majesty was an ‘early adopter’, determined to use this new medium to enhance her popularity. Her coronation in 1953 was televised to a fascinated nation, many of whom crowded around neighbours’ newly bought sets, and footage was rushed overseas. Around 27 million people watched in the United Kingdom, on private televisions or in

JANUARY 2022 EDITION

Made to Serve

pubs and cinemas, and 11 million listened on the radio. Her father had started the tradition of a Christmas message on the radio and in 1957, she gave her first Christmas message on television. The Queen declared the day a ‘landmark’ and said, ‘I very much hope that this new medium will make my Christmas message more personal and direct.’

the coronation, she went on an extensive tour of the Commonwealth, covering more than 40,000 miles. The Queen views her public role as essential and, as she once put it, she must be ‘seen to be believed’. Travel, visits, speeches, opening buildings, planting trees and cutting cakes – she knows how important her visits are to those who welcome her.

“… As well as television, one of the most significant inventions to have an impact on society during The Queen’s reign has been air travel. The Queen is the most travelled monarch in history and if you add all of her journeys together, she would have been around the world more than 42 times. Shortly after

“… Queen Elizabeth II’s reign has seen the UK change in many ways … Through it all, she has remained the young woman who pledged her service on her 21st birthday in 1947, who served the war effort as a driver and mechanic, and was told she was queen in 1952 at the age of 25. The Queen is the longest-reigning monarch in

royalmint.com

British history and one of only four across the history of the world who has reigned for 70 years. “The Queen has dedicated herself to Crown and country, through good times and bad. For her, monarchy is a duty, a God-given role and a commitment above all others. “… As we celebrate her seventieth year on the throne, we pay tribute to her dedication and service and how, since coming to the throne in 1952, she has given the country and the world her most precious gifts – her ‘devotion to these old islands’ and as she says, ‘my heart’.” Professor Kate Williams

Behind the Design

Behind the Design with Timothy Noad Since its inception in 1489 at the behest of Henry VII, The Sovereign has endured throughout the ages as a symbol of monarchial strength. In 2022, we have struck a Sovereign that honours a remarkable moment in British history – the Platinum Jubilee of Her Majesty The Queen. We spoke to the coin’s designer, the heraldic artist Timothy Noad, about this year’s special design. What does it mean to you personally to have achieved three reverse designs for The Sovereign? “It’s a huge privilege to be chosen three times to design reverses for The Sovereign. The first time was 20 years ago, for Her Majesty The Queen’s Golden Jubilee of 2002, and the second in 2005 was the first new St George and the dragon since Pistrucci’s iconic design. I’m very proud to be making it a hat-trick!”

How does this design differ to your previous Sovereign designs? “The Golden Jubilee Sovereign showed the crowned shield of the Royal Coat of Arms flanked with laurel branches, alluding to the design of Queen Victoria’s Sovereign. The St George design focused in on the action between St George, his horse and the dragon. The new design shows the full Royal Coat of Arms, so it includes some of the same elements such as the shield, crown and heraldic animals but in a very different arrangement.”

How did you approach the initial design concept? “I draw and paint the Royal Coat of Arms many times every year in my work as a heraldic artist, usually on illuminated vellum documents. This means I’m well used to all the elements in the design and how to adapt

them for a specific context, such as a coin, without altering the official content. There are many rules and conventions in heraldry, such as the shape of the arches and details of the jewels of St Edward’s Crown. I try to make the lion and unicorn supporters convincing by combining natural history with the stylisation of traditional heraldic design. For example, the lion has ribs and muscles based on a real lion but his teeth and claws are greatly enlarged to look fiercer, and his mane is arranged into decorative tufts of fur.”

Was there anything you knew you wanted to include from the outset? “The design brief suggested using the Royal Coat of Arms, which I have already represented in various ways on coins, including the 2002 Sovereign and the 2015 £1. This time I wanted to use the full achievement, which means the shield, helmet with the crown and lion crest, and the lion and unicorn supporters – so there was a lot of detail to include.”

Did you encounter any challenges during the process? “As there is a huge amount of detail in the Royal Coat of Arms, some of it gets very small on a coin. I had to give a strong silhouette to the shapes that would show up even when the coin was reduced, and make some of the elements as simple as possible. Within the field

of a coin, some shapes, such as the circular Order of the Garter, reflect the overall circle. Others, such as the arch of the motto scroll, contrast with it. Then there are smaller details, such as the tails of the lion and unicorn, and the mantling either side of the crown, which fill in the spaces and incorporate smaller curves, creating harmony within the design.”

How was the overall experience of designing a coin for such a historic royal milestone? “It was thrilling to be asked to submit designs for The Sovereign once again. The Sovereign is the most special coin in the UK; it represents the pinnacle of minting and has a strong association with the monarch, even in its name. It also has a long history redolent with the names of sculptors and designers like Pistrucci and William Wyon, so I feel very proud yet at the same time humbled to be a part of this legacy. It’s a great honour to be associated with this unique occasion celebrating the long reign of Her Majesty.” Due to extremely high demand, The Sovereign collection for 2022 is fully reserved. Visit royalmint.com/sovereign to discover more editions of The Sovereign.

JANUARY 2022 EDITION

Behind the Design

royalmint.com

Made for an Unprecedented Milestone

Made for an Unprecedented Milestone Since 1952, Her Majesty The Queen has achieved a plethora of personal and royal milestones. The Royal Mint has shared in this special journey by commemorating and celebrating many of these events. Now, for 2022, as Britain’s longest-reigning monarch celebrates a historic Platinum Jubilee, we have struck a special Sovereign for this momentous occasion.

JANUARY 2022 EDITION

Made for an Unprecedented Milestone

In 1489, Henry VII ordered a ‘new money of gold’ that would serve to symbolise the might of the Tudor dynasty. That large gold coin was The Sovereign and it has since evolved to become one of the world’s most distinctive and recognisable coins. More than 500 years since its inception, the ‘chief coin of the world’ still shares a close relationship with the Crown. The 2022 edition of The Sovereign marks Queen Elizabeth II’s remarkable Platinum Jubilee and features a special change in reverse design. Benedetto Pistrucci’s iconic St George and the dragon design, which was created in 1817, steps aside for a design by the heraldic artist Timothy Noad. Pistrucci’s design has consistently featured on The Sovereign since 1871 and has only been replaced a handful of times, most notably for historic events such as Her Majesty’s jubilees.

The Golden Jubilee Sovereign “I would like to give my heartfelt thanks to each and every one of you – here in Guildhall, those of you waiting in the Mall and the streets of London, and all those up and down this country and throughout the Commonwealth, who may be watching this on television. Thank you all for your enthusiasm to mark and celebrate these past fifty years.” Queen Elizabeth II Those were the words Her Majesty spoke during a speech she made during a lunch at Guildhall,

royalmint.com

London, on 4 June 2002. The celebrations for her Golden Jubilee took place during May and June of that year and saw people all over the country holding street parties and events to celebrate the historic occasion. The 50th year of Her Majesty’s reign was also honoured on a global scale – from the Antarctic, where a group of 20 British scientists celebrated at a temperature of -20 degrees centigrade, to New York City, where the Empire State Building shone purple and gold on the evening of 4 June to mark the event. The Royal Mint produced a special Sovereign to honour the Golden Jubilee, which featured a new reverse design created by Timothy Noad, the designer behind the reverse design for the Platinum Jubilee Sovereign. Featuring the shield of the Royal Coat of Arms, the design for the 2002 Sovereign is similar to a reverse design struck in 1838 during Queen Victoria’s reign.

The Diamond Jubilee Sovereign The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee was marked with an array of celebrations, including a ‘Big Lunch’ initiative, which encouraged people all over the nation to share a special lunch with their neighbours and friends. That weekend, The Queen also visited the Epsom Derby and up to 1,000 boats assembled on the Thames from across the United Kingdom, the Commonwealth and around the world for the Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant. A concert organised by Take That star Gary Barlow, which featured performers such as will.i.am, Stevie Wonder, Grace Jones

and Kylie Minogue, took place in view of Buckingham Palace on The Mall. In the aftermath of the concert, The Queen lit the National Beacon, which was part of a network of 2,012 beacons throughout the UK, Channel Islands, the Isle of Man and the Commonwealth that were each lit in sequence by individuals and communities to mark the occasion. The Royal Mint honoured this milestone by commissioning a new St George and the dragon reverse for the 2012 Sovereign. A competition was launched to find this new design and the winning entry that was chosen by The Royal Mint Advisory Committee was created by the British sculptor Paul Day.

The Platinum Jubilee Sovereign The concept of a jubilee stems back to biblical times, although in the modern era we associate this type of celebration with milestones achieved by the Royal Family. This year, we will observe the most significant milestone yet, as Her Majesty celebrates her Platinum Jubilee. A 70-year reign is a remarkable achievement deserving of distinct commemoration, which is why – as for previous jubilees – we have struck a special Sovereign for 2022. The coin’s reverse design features a reinterpretation of the Royal Coat of Arms, which was created by the esteemed heraldic artist Timothy Noad in what is his third reverse design for The Sovereign.

Behind the Design

Behind the Design with Osborne Ross Creating a coin design for a once-in-a-lifetime event must be an exciting opportunity for an artist or designer. Andrew Ross and Deborah Osborne, of the design agency Osborne Ross, created the reverse design for the UK 50p coin marking Her Majesty The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. It is the first UK 50p coin issued by The Royal Mint to celebrate a royal event.

JANUARY 2022 EDITION

Behind the Design

Like many of the artists we collaborate with, Osborne Ross is an award-winning agency with several accolades to its name. These include a D&AD Gold Award, two D&AD Silver Awards, the Design Week Best of Show, a Clio Silver, a New York Art Directors’ Silver and Bronze, two Graphis Golds and a Silver, the British Book Design Award, and a Third Sector Award for charity work. We wondered how it felt to be part of the official Platinum Jubilee celebrations, so we spoke to Andrew and Deborah about the process and inspiration behind their design. “It is a wonderful honour to design a coin for The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. We were both children at the time of the Silver Jubilee in 1977 and remember being presented with commemorative coins. If you had told our younger selves that one day we would be designing something similar for the Platinum Jubilee, we would not have believed you.” Deborah and Andrew’s design for the commemorative UK 50p coin is in a sparing, typographic style, contrasting a cropped, graphic ‘70’ with the jewel-like gravitas of the royal cypher. “We try not to have a ‘look’ to our work, more of a constant approach: simple, memorable, nothing is extraneous, everything is there for a reason. We follow this approach and see where it takes us.” This philosophy has also seen Osborne Ross design stamps for the Royal Mail, including the ‘Animail’ series of shaped creatures, and the UK 50p coin honouring the Scottish inventor

royalmint.com

John Logie Baird. Working on coins has been a positive experience, as they describe: “The internal design team at The Royal Mint are incredibly knowledgeable and supportive. Through working with them on previous designs, we have discovered what works both from a visual and a technical point of view. It is very helpful to know the constraints of the process and for the design to work with these rather than against them. The team’s expertise enables them to look at a concept and make suggestions which can make it really sing; it’s a very collaborative process.” Inspired by timeless, elegant designs from the time of The Queen’s coronation, such as Alexey Brodovitch’s work at Harper’s Bazaar, Osborne Ross’ design links to Brodovitch’s aesthetic with the use of the font Didot, which appears on the coin in a contemporary way. Both Deborah and Andrew were aware that there could be a temptation to: “… attempt to cover all bases with the design – celebration, pageantry, crowds, the monarch herself and the dates. Imposing restraint on yourselves as designers, paring an object back to its essence can be the greatest challenge, particularly given the historic importance of the commission.” In recent years, the UK 50p coin has become a public favourite, chronicling significant moments and anniversaries in British history and culture. It plays an important part in our comprehensive collection for this unique celebration, although the coin’s iconic shape can present designers with challenges but also opportunities.

“The distinctive shape of a 50p piece provides a designer with interesting possibilities. The angularity allows you to crop into an image in a different way: it provides corners for forms to intersect with, and contrasts nicely with the more fluid shapes of the design.” Jubilee celebrations have been hugely significant, poignant and evocative markers in many of our lives and the lives of both these designers are no exception. Eleven years old at the time of the Silver Jubilee, Andrew and Deborah remember making hats for a competition, sitting at long trestle tables with school friends in the middle of the street, watching tug-of-war competitions for the dads and staying up late for a disco. “By the time of the Diamond Jubilee, we were a little older and more involved in the preparations. We put together souvenir bags with mugs, certificates and little teddy bears for the children, put out the same trestle tables that were used for the Silver Jubilee (this time for our children and their friends), saw old neighbours that we hadn’t seen in years, and were part of a tug-of-war team (we lost). “For the Platinum Jubilee, our celebrations will include raising a glass to celebrate and reflect on the life and commitment of a truly remarkable monarch. She has touched so many lives, both here in the UK and across the globe.” Andrew Ross and Deborah Osborne

A Portrait Fit for a Queen

A Portrait Fit for a Queen Since the beginning of her reign, there have been five definitive coinage portraits of Her Majesty The Queen. The coins we have struck for Queen Elizabeth II tell the story of her journey from a young queen to the experienced, respected head of state she is today. Here, Mark Stocker, author of When Britain Went Decimal: The Coinage of 1971, recounts the story of The Queen’s sitting for Arnold Machin RA, the artist behind Her Majesty’s second definitive coinage portrait. Although the sitting took place in 1963, the effigy was not used on coins until 1968, when Britain began to transition to a decimal currency. “The Queen’s first two sittings for Machin on 6 and 11 June were in the Yellow Drawing Room at Buckingham Palace, during which he made a series of working drawings. Martin (later Lord) Charteris, the Queen’s Assistant Private Secretary, advised him that she would be wearing an off-the-shoulder dress as well as ‘the tiara which figures in the majority of your preliminary studies’. The question of which tiara to use turned out to be rather more ‘spiky’, however. A few days later, Charteris told Machin that it was ‘obviously one which you will have to discuss with the Queen at your first sitting’, implying that she would bring just two tiaras with her. In the event, as Machin later recalled, ‘Her Majesty had a trayful of tiaras brought in so that one might be chosen ... 16

She put them on, one after the other, asking which I liked best’. As Machin added, ‘that really was quite a thing to see’. No doubt, as a man from impoverished working-class Potteries stock, he was flattered to thus advise a monarch – but ‘as it happened she liked one while I preferred another’. The one chosen was not the spiky Russian number but the so-called ‘Girls of Great Britain and Ireland’ tiara, purchased by Lady Eva Greville from Garrard & Co in 1893 as a wedding present for Princess Mary of Teck, later Queen Mary. She gave it in turn to the Queen, then Princess Elizabeth, in 1947 – a present on the Queen’s wedding to Prince Philip – which explains its alleged appellation as ‘Granny’s tiara’. Described as a diamond festoon-and-scroll design, surmounted by nine large oriental pearls on diamond spikes and set on a bandeau base of alternate round and lozenge collets between two plain bands of diamonds, it was normally worn by the Queen without the base or pearls. It has subsequently appeared on many of her portraits, both on coins and banknotes. Machin was also asked to modify the hair below the tiara as its ‘repetition of

conventional curls ... had a tendency to be dull’, and a degree of artistic license was encouraged. Machin took up the suggestion of the third sitting, which meant he had to go to the Royal Family’s summer retreat at Balmoral Castle. The Queen greeted him by saying ‘How good of you to come all this way’. The following day, waiting for her, he caught sight of her with her hair in curlers, and was cheerily told ‘I hope you don’t mind – because John Ward was horrified when he came to paint my portrait’. Whether this frustrated his attempt to remodel the ‘conventional curls’ is not recorded. Evidently Machin acquitted himself well on his visit, as he was thanked with a brace of grouse from the estate, which were rather wasted on him since he was a vegetarian.” An extract taken from When Britain Went Decimal: The Coinage of 1971 by Mark Stocker, which is available to order at royalmint.com

JANUARY 2022 EDITION

A Portrait Fit for a Queen

The Queen’s Portraits for Coinage We look back at the changing face of Britain’s currency over the past 70 years.

Mary Gillick

Arnold Machin RA

Raphael Maklouf

1953–67

1968–84

1985–97

Uncrowned and truncated at the shoulder, The Queen’s first coinage portrait was praised for emphasising the monarch’s youth and vitality.

When it was announced that Britain would be adopting a decimal currency, it was decided that a new portrait of Her Majesty would help people distinguish the new coins from the old. A version of the design with a tiara was also introduced on stamps in 1967 and remains to this day.

The third definitive coinage portrait of The Queen reverts to a more traditional truncated design and was the first portrait to show Her Majesty wearing earrings and a necklace. The Girls of Great Britain and Ireland tiara has also been replaced by the George IV State Diadem, which is worn by The Queen for the State Opening of Parliament.

Ian Rank-Broadley FRBS

royalmint.com

Jody Clark

1 9 9 8 –2 0 1 5

2015 TO PRESENT

The Girls of Great Britain tiara returns in the fourth definitive coinage portrait of The Queen, who is also shown wearing Queen Mary’s button stud pearl earrings.

Her Majesty’s fifth definitive coinage portrait features a bust of The Queen wearing the George IV State Diadem and Diamond Jubilee drop earrings.

Historic Jubilees

Historic Jubilees This year, as we celebrate Her Majesty The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, we look back on an incredible history of royal jubilees, which are often occasions when monarchs connect with their public. Beginning at 25 years with a Silver Jubilee, royal jubilees are occasions to celebrate the life of the reigning monarch and continue to be highly significant events acknowledged and celebrated around the world. Throughout history, few British monarchs have celebrated a 50-year reign and there are scant records of how, if at all, Henry III, Edward III and James VI marked their Golden Jubilees. The celebration of a monarch’s Golden Jubilee seems to have begun during the reign of George III, with the festivities taking place on 25 October 1809. Along with other members of the Royal Family, the king attended a private service in Windsor followed by a grand fete and firework display at the royal residence Frogmore House. Queen Victoria was the longest-reigning monarch in British history until Queen Elizabeth II overtook her in 2015. During her reign, Queen Victoria celebrated a Golden and Diamond Jubilee, respectively marking 50 and 60 years of her remarkable reign. On 20 and 21 June 1887, her Golden Jubilee was marked with great display and public ceremony during a two-day celebration, during which huge crowds cheered the popular queen when she appeared on the balcony at Buckingham Palace. On 22 June 1897, a day of global celebrations marked the first Diamond Jubilee witnessed by the British people. Queen Victoria presided over several events, including a six-mile royal procession in her state coach to St Paul’s Cathedral.

Her Majesty The Queen’s Jubilee SOVEREIGN SET

Code: HISJBSOV

Price: £1,800.00

LEP: 499

‘No one ever, I believe, has met with such an ovation as was given to me, passing through those 6 miles of streets ... The cheering was quite deafening & every face seemed to be filled with real joy. I was much moved and gratified.’ Queen Victoria in an excerpt from her journal As Britain’s longest-reigning monarch, Queen Elizabeth II enjoyed significant jubilee celebrations in 1977 (for her Silver Jubilee), 2002 (for her Golden Jubilee) and 2012 (for her Diamond Jubilee).

Her Majesty The Queen’s Jubilee H A L F-S O V E R E I G N S E T

Code: HISJBHSV

Price: £1,150.00

LEP: 499

In the lead up to her Silver Jubilee in 1977, The Queen embarked on an incredible tour of the Commonwealth with His Royal Highness The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. The jubilee celebrations in the UK comprised a great number of street parties, whilst a staggering 500 million people watched the celebrations on television. In 2002, in celebration of her 50 years as monarch, thousands of well-wishers crowded into The Mall to soak up the carnival atmosphere and the pop concert held at Buckingham Palace ended with a sensational firework display. In 2022, Her Majesty reaches another remarkable milestone as she becomes the first British monarch to celebrate a Platinum Jubilee, marking the 70th anniversary of her accession to the throne on 6 February 1952.

The Platinum Jubilee of Her Majesty The Queen 1952 AND 2022 COIN COLLECTION

Code: HISPJC22

Price: £130.00

LEP: 500

JANUARY 2022 EDITION

The Royal Mint Experience

Join our Platinum Jubilee Party Come and join our Platinum Jubilee celebrations at The Royal Mint Experience. To celebrate 70 years since Her Majesty The Queen inherited the throne, we will be holding a series of special events on 6 February 2022. A special exhibition will look back over Queen Elizabeth II’s life and visitors will have the opportunity to strike their very own limited-edition coin. We will also be hosting a quintessentially British afternoon tea at 12pm, 2pm and 4pm, which will include traditional finger sandwiches, scones with jam and clotted cream, and a selection of cakes, whilst guests will be serenaded with songs from throughout The Queen’s reign.

To find out more, search ‘The Royal Mint Experience’ or scan the QR code. Scan the Code royalmint.com

Precious Metals

Why Invest in Platinum? Rare, beautiful and highly sought-after, platinum is an increasingly popular choice for investors. Explore our investment opportunities, which include finely crafted platinum bullion coins. As Her Majesty The Queen celebrates her Platinum Jubilee, platinum has been thrust into the spotlight for 2022 but what do we know about this metal – and why is it an increasingly popular choice with investors? When contemplating an investment, it would be easy to overlook platinum in favour of more traditional precious metals such as gold and silver. Like gold, platinum plays an important role both in industry and as a precious metal yet the demand for each metal is very different. Around 75% of the world’s supply of gold appears as coins, bars and jewellery each year. In contrast, nearly 65% of the world’s supply of platinum is destined for industrial or automotive use. Used to produce catalytic converters, which reduce harmful emissions, and in the fuel cells

of electric cars, the price of platinum is heavily reliant on industrial demand. As you can imagine, mining for gold can be a time-consuming process but it is a lot harder if you are looking for platinum. The precious metal is very hard to come by, as platinum is one of the rarest metals on Earth – around 30 times rarer than gold. Following the success of both our gold and silver bullion coin ranges, we have expanded our collection to include platinum bullion coins. The precious metal’s practical use in industrial application and its growing importance in relation to medicine have only increased the demand and combined with its rarity, this makes it an even more attractive proposition for investors.

Platinum bullion coins from The Royal Mint are available for free UK delivery or you can choose to vault them in our on-site, preciousmetals storage facility. If you wish, you can also sell these coins back to us and we are able to purchase them using live market rates. “It is great to see The Royal Mint’s range of platinum coins going from strength-tostrength since it launched its first platinum bullion products in 2017. Next year promises to be especially exciting as the celebrations for The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee provide further opportunities for both collectors and investors.” Platinum World Council

Discover our platinum range:

Scan the Code 20

JANUARY 2022 EDITION

The Royal Tudor Beasts

Protectors of the Palace Each of the ten fearsome beasts that stands on the Moat Bridge at Hampton Court Palace is a statement in stone, proclaiming the right of Henry VIII and his Tudor descendants to rule. The Royal Tudor Beasts Collection celebrates these heraldic beasts and recounts the rise of a royal dynasty. Given to Jane Seymour by Henry VIII, the Seymour Panther is often shown with flames coming out of its mouth and ears, representing

anger. Said to have the claws of an eagle and the tail of a lion, it is from the treasury of royal beasts – the collection of heraldic creatures from which the Tudor royal beasts were drawn. This coin is the first release in a ten-part collection, with the Lion of England, the Bull of Clarence, the Tudor Dragon, the Greyhound of Richmond, the Royal Dragon, the Yale of Beaufort, the Seymour Unicorn, the Queen’s Panther and the Queen’s Lion to follow over the next five years.

The Royal Tudor Beasts The Seymour Panther

2022 UK 2oz GOLD

2 0 2 2 U K 1 o z S I LV E R

2022 UK £5 BRILLIANT

PROOF COIN

UNCIRCUL ATED COIN

Code: UK22TSP2G

LEP: 350

Code: UK22TSPSP

Price: £4,775.00

MCM: 356

Price: £95.00

LEP: 6,000 MCM: 7,010

Code: UK22TSPBU

LEP: Unlimited

Price: £13.00

MCM: Unlimited

Secure all ten coins in The Royal Tudor Beasts Collection by signing up today:

royalmint.com

Annual Sets

Made to Celebrate Make it a year to remember with the 2022 Annual Sets. Commemorating some of the biggest events, anniversaries and individuals in British history, these sets are amongst some of our most popular releases. The Royal Mint’s Annual Sets give you an opportunity to own some of the year’s key commemorative coins, carefully brought together in one impressive presentation. For more than 1,100 years, we have been making history, providing a unique historical journal through the coins of the United Kingdom. Today, the commemorative coins we produce offer a special opportunity to celebrate British excellence and honour those who have made a notable contribution to the UK and beyond. Skilled artists who are passionate about their craft capture each monumental story in miniature on the tiny surface of a coin.

The 2022 Annual Sets continue this numismatic celebration of British history with five specially selected commemorative coins united in a single collection. From Dame Vera Lynn and Alexander Graham Bell to the return of the Commonwealth Games to Britain and the Platinum Jubilee of Her Majesty The Queen, the 2022 Annual Sets pay tribute to the iconic individuals of yesteryear and the unforgettable events making history in 2022. In honour of The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, the 2022 Annual Sets (excluding the Definitive Set) feature two coins dedicated to this monumental

milestone. Along with the other coins in the sets, these coins feature the fifth definitive coinage portrait of Queen Elizabeth II by Jody Clark. This is noteworthy as the portrait has been included on these editions to maintain continuity across the 2022 Annual Sets but will not appear on the coins available individually as part of our Platinum Jubilee collection. Finished to either Proof or Brilliant Uncirculated standard, the coins that make up each Annual Set are available struck in precious metals or their circulating alloys.

To order a 2022 Annual Set, call 0800 03 22 152 or visit royalmint.com

The 2022 United Kingdom

G O L D P R O O F CO M M E M O R AT I V E CO I N S E T

PREMIUM PROOF COIN SET

Code: D22GP | Price: £7,570.00 LEP: 100

Code: D22PM | Price: £210.00 LEP: 2,500

The 2022 United Kingdom

S I LV E R P R O O F P I E D F O R T C O M M E M O R A T I V E C O I N S E T

PROOF COIN SET

Code: D22PFCS | Price: £597.50 LEP: 370

Code: D22COLL | Price: £155.00 LEP: 7,000

The 2022 United Kingdom

S I LV E R P R O O F C O I N S E T

B R I L L I A N T U N C I R C U L AT E D D E F I N I T I V E CO I N S E T

Code: D22SP | Price: £647.50 LEP: 550

Code: DUW22 | Price: £30.00 LEP: Unlimited

The 2022 United Kingdom

P L AT I N U M P R O O F CO M M E M O R AT I V E CO I N S E T

B R I L L I A N T U N C I R C U L AT E D A N N UA L CO I N S E T

Code: D22PLCS | Price: £9,895.00 LEP: 30

Code: DU22 | Price: £55.00 LEP: Unlimited

JANUARY 2022 EDITION

Get into Gold

Make

Your Investment Precious

Whether you are building a nest egg for a new arrival or saving up for your forever home, investing in gold could help you prepare for a bright future. Invest today with The Royal Mint, the home of gold in the UK. Discover more at

royalmint.com/getintogold The Royal Mint Limited is not authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority to provide investment advice and nothing within this advert should be construed as investment advice. C E L E B R AT E | C O L L E C T | I N V E S T | S E C U R E | D I S C O V E R

royalmint.com

Scan the Code 23

Welcome the Year of the Tiger Marked by fireworks, dragon dances and gifts in red envelopes, Chinese New Year is a joyful time involving traditions that date back thousands of years. As we prepare to welcome the Year of the Tiger, join in the festivities with the latest coin from The Shēngxiào Collection.

Lunar Year of the Tiger

2022 UK ONE OUNCE

2022 UK £5 BRILLIANT

GOLD PROOF COIN

S I LV E R P R O O F C O I N

UNCIRCUL ATED COIN

Code: UKT22GP

LEP: 888

Code: UKT22SP

LEP: 2,688

Code: UKT22BU

LEP: Unlimited

Price: £2,505.00

MCM: 898

Price: £95.00

MCM: 3,998

Price: £13.00

MCM: Unlimited

Online

Freephone

Post

royalmint.com/mintedition

0800 03 22 152

Return order form

Use the code D2145 for free delivery on orders over £45.00

(Lines open Monday–Friday 9am–6pm Saturday 9am–3pm)

The Royal Mint, PO Box 500, Pontyclun, CF72 8WP

Coins shown are not actual size. Full specifications are available on request. Packaging may change without notice. All products listed in this publication are limited edition presentations and subject to availability. Prices may change due to fluctuations in raw material prices. Limited Edition Presentation (LEP) is the maximum number of coins or sets of coins, presented in this specific style, that will be issued. Maximum Coin Mintage (MCM) is the maximum number of coins that will be issued. © The Royal Mint Limited 2022

royalmint.com C E L E B R AT E | C O L L E C T | I N V E S T |

SECURE | DISCOVER