- 2018 Silver Great Britain Queen's Beast The Unicorn
- Grade: Brilliant Uncirculated
- Denomination: £5
- Country of Origin: Great Britain
- Metal Content: 2 Troy Oz
- Purity: .999
- Mint: British Royal Mint
- Thickness: 6 mm
- Diameter: 38.61 mm
- Mintage: Mint to Order
Coin in the photo is just a stock photo. The item that is shipped is guaranteed Brilliant Uncirculated or better.
At the coronation of Her Majesty The Queen, 10 heraldic beasts stood guard. The Queen’s Beasts, sculpted by James Woodford RA for the coronation ceremony held in Westminster Abbey in 1953, stand six feet tall. The heraldic creatures symbolized the various strands of royal ancestry brought together in a young woman about to be crowned queen. Each proud beast, used as a heraldic badge by generations that went before her, was inspired by the King’s Beasts of Henry VIII that still line the bridge over the moat at his Hampton Court Palace.
Today, The Queen’s Beasts can be found at the Canadian Museum of History in Quebec, while Portland stone replicas, also carved by James Woodford, watch over Kew Gardens in the United Kingdom. But these mythical, ancient creatures – lions, griffin, falcon, bull, yale, greyhound, dragon, unicorn and horse – have gone on to inspire the highly-praised new talent, Royal Mint Coin Designer Jody Clark.
An enduring symbol of strength and beauty, it’s easy to see how the unicorn came to be used in heraldry. It first appeared on Scottish heraldry in the twelfth century, after William I created an early form of the Scottish coat of arms. James I of England, who united the English and Scottish thrones, chose the Scottish Unicorn to join the Lion of England to support the Royal Arms. They have supported this shield, which symbolizes the sovereignty of Her Majesty The Queen and represents the unity of the United Kingdom, ever since. (APMEX)
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