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{{/presale}}The Queen’s Beast 1 oz Gold Bullion Coin – The Unicorn of Scotland. This addition to The Royal Mint’s bullion range takes its inspiration from hundreds of years of royal heraldry. The Queen’s Beasts bullion coins not only provide a new option for those looking to invest, but the range also includes two-ounce silver coins – the first official two-ounce United Kingdom bullion coins ever struck.
The background for this range comes from the coronation of Her Majesty The Queen, where ten heraldic beasts stood guard, The Queen’s Beasts, sculpted by James Woodford RA for the coronation ceremony. The coins each depict one of the The Queen’s Beasts, reimagined by Royal Mint Coin Designer Jody Clark. Jody also created the latest definitive coinage portrait of The Queen to appear on United Kingdom coins. His bold interpretations of the Lion of England was the first coin released of the series.
Obverse
The obverse features the 5th definitive coinage Portrait of Queen Elizabeth II, surrounded by the text “ELIZABETH II D G REG F D 100 POUNDS”. DG REG FD is an abbreviation of the latin “Dei Gratia Regina Fidei Defensor” meaning; “Grace of God, Queen, Defender of the Faith” and is a form of the Style of the British sovereign of Queen Elizabeth II common on coins of the Pound Sterling. The initials of the artist Jody Clark appear just below the portrait.
Reverse
The reverse features a stylized rendition of the The Unicorn of Scotland surrounded by the text “UNICORN OF SCOTLAND 1 oz FINE GOLD 999.9” and date of mintage. The initials of the artist Jody Clark appear just below shield offset to the left.
Coin Highlights
What are The Queen’s Beasts?
When Her Majesty The Queen was crowned on June 2nd, 1953, ten heraldic beast statues stood guard outside the coronation ceremony in Westminster Abbey. The Queen’s Beasts, as they are known, are a series of statues that were commissioned by the British Ministry of Works and sculpted by James Woodford RA. Standing at six foot high and cast in plaster, the ten statues depict the genealogy of The Queen, with each of the heraldic beasts symbolizing the various strands of The Queen’s royal ancestry;
After the coronation ceremony, The Queen’s Beasts were taken to Hampton Court Palace where they stood guard in the Great Hall. At the time, the palace was also home to the King’s Beasts of Henry VIII, a series of statues that lined the bridge over the moat, from which James Woodford took inspiration for The Queen’s Beasts statues. While The Queen’s Beasts were relocated to Windsor Castle four years later, the King’s Beasts statues remain at Hampton Court Palace today, still lining the bridge over the moat.
After a short stay at Windsor Castle The Queen’s Beasts were taken into storage. Today they can be found at the Canadian Museum of History in Quebec, Canada. If you’re not travelling to Canada any time soon, Portland stone replicas, which were also carved by the original sculptor James Woodford RA, watch over Kew Gardens in the United Kingdom.
The Unicorn of Scotland
The Unicorn of Scotland, milk-white with gold hooves, horn and mane, has a coronet around its neck, like a collar, with a gold chain attached. It is thought that the chains were to show a great beast tamed to serve the king. As with most chained beasts in heraldry, its strength is emphasised rather than diminished by its shackles. It holds the royal coat of Scotland, unchanged since the time of Scottish king, Alexander III. A red lion rampant (the most fierce stance) is shown on a gold background.
Tales of the mythical unicorn date back to around 400 BC, perhaps confused or exaggerated descriptions of animals like the rhinoceros or wild bulls and horses. The creature was at first thought to be huge, strong and fierce, and later a more elegant beast, a symbol of purity and innocence. James I of England, who united the English and Scottish thrones, chose the Scottish Unicorn to join the Lion of England in supporting the Royal Arms. They have supported the shield ever since.
Buying from BGASC
The 1 oz Gold Queen’s Beast Coins you purchase from BGASC are brand new, brilliant uncirculated gold bullion coins fresh from The Royal Mint of Great Britain. Quantities of 10 are shipped in unopened mint tubes. Single and smaller quantities of coins are carefully pulled from a new mint tube with lint-free, white cotton gloves and placed into their own individual coin flips. You may also want to consider purchasing an H32 Air-Tite Coin Capsule to further protect your investment. BGASC always handles your coins with the utmost care and respect, as if we were collecting them ourselves. If you have any questions about these coins or the purchasing process, feel free to call us toll-free and one of our representatives will be happy to assist you.
When the subtotal of your purchase, including applicable discounts, is $199 or more, you receive free shipping for your entire order. In order to receive free shipping on purchases of $199 or more, you must live within the 50 US states. For orders less than $199, a $9.95 shipping fee applies. All products are discreetly packaged and shipped with full insurance included.
Most BGASC orders are shipped within one (1) business day of your payment clearing. Payments made via PayPal clear instantly. Bitcoin payments clear instantly once the transaction is confirmed. Credit Card and bank wire payments process within 1 business day. ACH and paper check payments take 3-5 business days. Once payments are processed, products are released to fulfillment for packaging and shipping.
All orders of $199 or more that are eligible for free shipping are, by default, shipped via a carrier of our choice (USPS or UPS). Depending on the contents and size of your purchase, you may be able to upgrade to a specific carrier during checkout.
For those orders of $999.99 or less, there is no need to sign for your package. However, you may select the option to require a signature at delivery if you want. This can be chosen and paid for at checkout. All orders of $1000 or more require a signature to complete delivery.
BGASC is only able to ship to addresses in any of the 50 US states. This includes P.O. boxes and APO addresses.