Complete Queen’s Beasts 1/4oz Gold Proof Collection 2017–2021

The Queen’s Beasts Collection is one of The Royal Mint’s most recognisable modern British coin series, bringing together ten heraldic creatures representing the ancestry of Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

This collection comprises the complete original run of all ten individually issued 1/4oz Gold Proof coins, released between 2017 and 2021.

Each coin is struck in 999.9 fine gold, contains 1/4 troy ounce of fine gold and carries a denomination of £25.

Together, the ten coins contain:

2.5 troy ounces of fine gold

with a combined face value of:

£250

Importantly, these are the original individually released Proof coins carrying their respective original dates, rather than the later collection in which all ten designs were newly dated 2021 and given a special reverse-frosted finish. The Royal Mint confirms that distinction for the later set.

Each coin is accompanied by its individual Royal Mint presentation box and Certificate of Authenticity, creating a complete assembled collection of the original Queen’s Beasts 1/4oz Gold Proof series.

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Why This Collection Stands Out

The Queen’s Beasts series was inspired by the ten heraldic statues that stood outside Westminster Abbey for the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953.

Each beast represents a different branch of the Queen’s royal ancestry and centuries of British heraldic history. The Royal Mint confirms that the ten statues greeted the Queen at Westminster Abbey and represented royal ancestors who had gone before her.

The complete collection contains every original 1/4oz Gold Proof release:

• 2017 Lion of England
• 2017 Unicorn of Scotland
• 2018 Red Dragon of Wales
• 2018 Black Bull of Clarence
• 2019 Falcon of the Plantagenets
• 2019 Yale of Beaufort
• 2020 White Lion of Mortimer
• 2020 White Horse of Hanover
• 2021 White Greyhound of Richmond
• 2021 Griffin of Edward III

Rather than acquiring the coins individually over time, this collection provides the opportunity to acquire the complete original ten-coin 1/4oz Gold Proof series together.

The significance of a complete collection is also determined by its scarcer constituent coins. Several later releases have Maximum Coin Mintages of only 1,000, meaning a complete original collection necessarily includes each of these lower-mintage issues.

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The Complete 10-Coin Collection

Year	Coin	Maximum Coin Mintage
2017	Lion of England	2,500
2017	Unicorn of Scotland	1,500
2018	Red Dragon of Wales	1,500
2018	Black Bull of Clarence	1,500
2019	Falcon of the Plantagenets	1,250
2019	Yale of Beaufort	1,000
2020	White Lion of Mortimer	1,000
2020	White Horse of Hanover	1,000
2021	White Greyhound of Richmond	1,000
2021	Griffin of Edward III	1,250

 

The figures above are the Maximum Coin Mintage figures taken from the Royal Mint information supplied for each coin.

They demonstrate how the Quarter-Ounce Gold Proof issues became increasingly restricted as the series progressed.

While the first Lion of England had a Maximum Coin Mintage of 2,500, four of the later releases have Maximum Coin Mintages of only 1,000.

For collectors seeking to assemble the complete original series, the availability of every individual beast therefore matters rather than simply the mintage of any one coin.

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Maximum Coin Mintages as Low as 1,000

One of the defining characteristics of the complete collection is the relatively restricted production of the individual Quarter-Ounce Gold Proof coins.

The Maximum Coin Mintages range from:

2,500 – Lion of England

down to just:

1,000 – Yale of Beaufort

1,000 – White Lion of Mortimer

1,000 – White Horse of Hanover

1,000 – White Greyhound of Richmond

A complete collection therefore requires all ten coins, including these lower-mintage later releases.

The individual mintage figures are particularly relevant when assessing a complete series because the availability of a full collection is ultimately constrained by the scarcer component coins.

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The Ten Queen’s Beasts

The ten beasts represent different branches of Queen Elizabeth II’s ancestry and the heraldic traditions of the British monarchy.

Each was reinterpreted for the modern series by Royal Mint designer Jody Clark.

The complete collection comprises:

The Lion of England
A traditional symbol of courage, strength and English royalty, shown holding a shield bearing the Royal Arms.

The Unicorn of Scotland
One of Scotland’s most recognisable heraldic symbols and a supporter of the Royal Arms of the United Kingdom.

The Red Dragon of Wales
A powerful symbol of Wales with deep connections to Welsh and Tudor heraldry.

The Black Bull of Clarence
Associated with the House of York and the royal ancestry of Edward IV.

The Falcon of the Plantagenets
A heraldic emblem associated with the Plantagenet dynasty and the royal ancestry represented within the collection.

The Yale of Beaufort
A mythical heraldic creature associated with the Beaufort family and the ancestry of the Tudor dynasty.

The White Lion of Mortimer
A symbol associated with the Mortimer family and the Yorkist line of royal descent.

The White Horse of Hanover
Representing the Hanoverian succession and the royal dynasty that came to the British throne with George I.

The White Greyhound of Richmond
A Tudor heraldic emblem associated particularly with Henry VII and the House of Richmond.

The Griffin of Edward III
A symbol associated with Edward III, completing the ten original individual Queen’s Beasts releases. The Royal Mint identifies the 2021 Griffin as the tenth coin in The Queen’s Beasts Collection.

Together, the ten designs form a visual representation of centuries of royal ancestry and British heraldic history.

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Inspired by the 1953 Coronation

The inspiration for the series comes directly from the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II.

Ten heraldic statues stood at the entrance to Westminster Abbey for the Coronation in June 1953.

The beasts represented the genealogy and royal ancestry of the young Queen. Each represented a royal ancestor and characteristics traditionally associated with monarchy.

The Royal Mint subsequently reinterpreted these historic symbols for a modern precious-metal coin collection, with Jody Clark responsible for translating the heraldic beasts into detailed contemporary coin designs.

The result is a series connecting the reign of Queen Elizabeth II with centuries of British royal history.

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Designed by Jody Clark

The Queen’s Beasts series was designed by Jody Clark, one of The Royal Mint’s most prominent modern coin designers.

Clark was also responsible for the fifth and final definitive coinage portrait of Queen Elizabeth II.

This creates unusual artistic continuity across the collection.

Jody Clark’s portrait of Queen Elizabeth II appears on the obverse, while his interpretations of the Queen’s ancestral heraldic beasts appear on the reverse.

The Royal Mint confirms Clark as both obverse and reverse designer on the Queen’s Beasts Quarter-Ounce Gold Proof format.

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Struck in 999.9 Fine Gold

Each coin in the collection is struck in:

999.9 Fine Gold

and contains:

1/4 troy ounce of fine gold

Across the complete ten-coin collection, this provides:

Combined Fine Gold Content: 2.5 troy oz

Each coin carries a face value of:

£25

giving the complete collection a combined legal-tender face value of:

£250

The Royal Mint’s Quarter-Ounce Gold Proof specification confirms the £25 denomination, 999.9 fine gold composition, 7.80g weight, 22.00mm diameter and Proof quality.

The Quarter-Ounce format combines meaningful precious-metal content with a size that allows the detail of Jody Clark’s heraldic designs to be appreciated.

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Collection Specifications

Country of Issue: United Kingdom
Issuing Authority: The Royal Mint
Series: The Queen’s Beasts
Years: 2017–2021
Number of Coins: 10
Metal: Gold
Fineness: 999.9 Fine Gold
Weight per Coin: 7.80g
Diameter per Coin: 22.00mm
Fine Gold Content per Coin: 1/4 troy oz
Combined Fine Gold Content: 2.5 troy oz
Denomination per Coin: £25
Combined Face Value: £250
Quality: Proof
Reverse Designer: Jody Clark
Obverse Designer: Jody Clark
Presentation: Individual Royal Mint presentation boxes
Certificates: Individual Certificates of Authenticity

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Proof Coins Versus Queen’s Beasts Bullion Coins

The Queen’s Beasts designs were produced in both bullion and Proof formats, and the distinction is important.

Bullion coins were principally produced for buyers seeking precious-metal exposure and were manufactured in considerably larger quantities.

The coins in this collection are the limited-edition Gold Proof versions, produced specifically for the collector market.

Proof coins use specially prepared dies and blanks to achieve highly reflective fields, sharply defined details and the distinctive finish associated with Royal Mint Proof coinage.

The limited Maximum Coin Mintages of the Quarter-Ounce Gold Proof issues therefore give the collection a clear numismatic dimension beyond its 2.5 troy ounces of fine gold.

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The Original Individual Releases – Not the Later 2021 Set

This distinction is particularly important when considering a complete Queen’s Beasts collection.

The coins offered here are the ten original individually released Queen’s Beasts Quarter-Ounce Gold Proof coins, issued progressively between 2017 and 2021.

Each carries its original year of issue.

The collection should not be confused with The Royal Mint’s later 2021-dated ten-coin Queen’s Beasts set.

For that later set, The Royal Mint recreated all ten designs on coins carrying the 2021 date and gave each coin a special reverse-frosted finish.

The Royal Mint’s sales records separately identify the later Quarter-Ounce Gold Proof Reverse Frosted Set, confirming it was a distinct product from the original individually issued coins.

The collection offered here comprises the original annual Proof releases, assembled together to create the complete series.

That means the collector receives the actual sequence of Queen’s Beasts Quarter-Ounce Gold Proof coins as they originally appeared throughout the lifetime of the series.

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Complete with Individual Royal Mint Boxes and Certificates

Each of the ten coins is accompanied by its:

Individual Royal Mint presentation box

and:

Certificate of Authenticity

This is particularly relevant for a collection assembled from the original individual releases.

Rather than simply bringing together ten loose coins, the collection retains the original presentation associated with each separate Queen’s Beasts Gold Proof issue.

The result is a substantially more complete representation of the original Royal Mint series.

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A Complete Modern British Numismatic Gold Collection

The complete Queen’s Beasts Quarter-Ounce Gold Proof collection brings together several particularly desirable characteristics:

• All ten original Queen’s Beasts designs
• Original releases dated from 2017 to 2021
• Maximum Coin Mintages ranging from 1,000 to 2,500
• Four individual issues with Maximum Coin Mintages of just 1,000
• 10 × 1/4oz Gold Proof coins
• 2.5 troy ounces of fine gold in total
• 999.9 fine gold
• Jody Clark designs
• Individual Royal Mint presentation boxes
• Individual Certificates of Authenticity
• A completed Royal Mint series
• British royal and heraldic history represented across all ten designs

The attraction of this collection lies not simply in owning ten individual coins, but in owning the complete original sequence together.

The lower Maximum Coin Mintages of several later releases are particularly relevant because a complete collection cannot be assembled without those scarcer component coins.

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Image Information

The photographs shown represent the actual Queen’s Beasts collection offered for sale, including the individual coins, Royal Mint presentation boxes and Certificates of Authenticity.

Any digitally produced presentation imagery is provided for reference purposes only.

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Why Buy from Sterling Bullion Partners?

Every collectable gold coin and collection offered by Sterling Bullion Partners is carefully selected for its quality, authenticity and collector appeal.

When purchasing from Sterling Bullion Partners, you benefit from:

• Carefully selected British gold coins
• Complete original ten-coin Queen’s Beasts collection
• Individual Royal Mint presentation boxes
• Individual Certificates of Authenticity
• Photographs of the actual collection offered for sale
• Fully insured UK delivery
• Secure protective packaging
• Experienced customer support
• A UK precious metals dealer committed to accuracy and transparency

With all ten original Queen’s Beasts Quarter-Ounce Gold Proof releases, 2.5 troy ounces of 999.9 fine gold, individual Royal Mint presentation boxes and Certificates of Authenticity, this represents an outstanding opportunity to acquire the complete original collection together.

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