Coin Info
Which Queen Elizabeth II portrait is your favourite?
Jody Clark recently added his name to an illustrious list in the history books by becoming only the fifth person to create an effigy of Queen Elizabeth II for British circulating coins. Each artist has given their own portrayal of the Queen which offers us a numismatic timeline showing her changing profile over the years.
But which of the five is your favourite? Place your vote below.
1. Mary Gillick (1953 – 1970)
The very first coins of Queen Elizabeth II’s reign bore Mary Gillick’s portrait of a youthful looking Queen, which she engraved especially for the new coins. Her uncrowned portrait is still used on Maundy Money distributed each year by Her Majesty.
2. Arnold Machin RA (1968 – 1984)
With decimalisation approaching, the Queen’s portrait was refreshed with Arnold Machin’s new sculpture. Commissioned in 1964, it first appeared in 1968 on the new 5p and 10p coins. A version of the design with a tiara was introduced on stamps in 1967 and remains to this day.
3. Raphael Maklouf (1985 – 1997)
With his portrayal of Her Majesty, Raphael Maklouf aimed to “create a symbol, regal and ageless”. Unlike the others, his original formal portrait depicting Queen Elizabeth II wearing the Royal Diadem was ‘couped’ (cut off above the shoulders) to become the third official effigy.
4. Ian Rank-Broadley FRBS (1998 – 2015)
The next portrait was created to fill the full circle of the coin in a deliberate response to the new smaller 5p and 10p coins in circulation. The designer, Ian Rank-Broadley FRBS, aimed to show the Queen with “poise and bearing” with his noticeably more mature portrayal.
5. Jody Clark (2015 – )
The latest portrait by Jody Clark was unveiled on 2nd March 2015 during a ceremony at the National Portrait Gallery. His elegant depiction of Queen Elizabeth II was selected by the Royal Mint Advisory Committee – and he is the first Royal Mint engraver for over 100 years to be commissioned for a royal coinage portrait.
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How rare is the Royal Navy £2?
The Royal Navy £2 commemorates the Royal Navy’s efforts in World War One and is known as the 3rd rarest £2 coin in circulation.
The coin features a battleship design by military artist David Rowlands and the 5th portrait of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, but just 650,000 2015 Navy £2 coins were struck for circulation, making it very sought-after amongst collectors.
But you may have also heard about the small number of Royal Navy £2 coins which were issued to HMS Belfast and its visitor facilities in 2015 – 100 of them to be precise. The story was widely covered, including being featured by the BBC. Naturally plenty of excitement ensued amongst collectors, many of whom flocked to HMS Belfast in the hope of finding one.
The 100 Royal Navy £2 coins distributed at HMS Belfast all carry the Ian Rank-Broaldey FRBS portrait of the Queen
The distinguishing feature of these 100 coins is that they all carry the portrait of Queen Elizabeth II by Ian Rank Broadley FRBS whereas those issued for general circulation later in the year then featured the Queen’s new portrait which was announced 2nd March 2015.
However, the Brilliant Uncirculated Royal Navy £2 packs which were originally made available in 2014 also feature Ian Rank-Broadley’s current effigy of the Queen, and there is nothing fundamentally different between these and the 100 issued to HMS Belfast.
Inevitably, scammers capitalised on these blurred lines and a large number of coins purporting to be from HMS Belfast started to crop up on eBay for extortionate amounts. Whilst we can’t prove or disprove the legitimacy of the listings it is nonsensical to bid on a coin which can in no way be authenticated as one of the 100 rare issues. And as we know, when it comes to collecting, there is one fact which is always inevitable – the rarest coins are always in highest demand.
A Royal Navy £2 claiming to be from HMS Belfast selling on ebay for over £100
So although the dust has settled and the Navy £2 is no longer the talk of the town, it is still a staple coin for any collection (even without the Ian Rank-Broadley portrait) and if you come across one in your change, it might just be worth hanging on to!
Own the 3rd rarest £2 coin in circulation!
If you would like to own this rare Royal Navy £2 Coin, you can order yours today.
Churchill – the only statesman commemorated on THREE British Crowns
On the morning of 24 January 1965, the tolling of St Paul’s Cathedral’s state bell ‘Great Tom’ signalled to a grieving nation that a great man was gone. Sir Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill died at the age of 90.
Churchill became the first non-Royal to be portrayed on a British coin following his death in 1965
Since his death, Churchill has become a prominent figure in numismatic history and is the only person outside of the Royal family to be commemorated on a Crown coin on no less than three separate occasions.
In 1965, a whole nation mourned the loss of the politician, writer, orator and the man who exemplified the Allies’ stance against the Nazi threat in the Second World War.
Buried in a country churchyard near Blenheim Palace where he was born, the Queen had attended Churchill’s state funeral in London, the first afforded to a commoner in more than a century.
Churchill was portrayed on this coin during the build up to London 2012 to represent courage.
To celebrate the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, the Royal Mint issued this limited edition £5 coin. Featuring an instantly recognisable portrait of the great man, the coin was issued during Britain’s build up to the London Olympic and Paralympic games to capture the spirit of pride in our nation.
Churchill was a man of many talents and was renowned throughout the world as a great statesman. Educated at Harrow School and Sandhurst Military Academy, his military service included Malakand and the Nile. During the Boer war, as a war journalist, he was captured but escaped.
Sir Winston Churchill died on 24th January 1965
He was Prime Minister and held various important positions including Colonial Under-Secretary, President of the Board of Trade, Home Secretary, Minister of Munitions, Secretary of State for War and Air, Chancellor of the Exchequer, and remained as a back bencher after 1955.
He was a talented painter and author of a number of important books, including “History of the English Speaking Peoples” in four volumes. His love of good cigars, vintage wines and fine brandy has become legendary. He never exercised and referred to his periods of severe depression as his ‘black dog’.
But his world vision, his charisma and his qualities of leadership are acknowledged to have helped to ensure that Britain survived the Second World War.
Issued to commemorate 50 years since the death of the legendary statesman.
In 2015, a half-century after the death of Winston Churchill, this £5 coin was issued to honour a man who holds an unrivaled place in history.
Featuring the engraved portrait of Winston Churchill by Mark Richards FRBS, who wanted to convey Churchill as larger than life by creating an image larger than the coin itself.
A tribute to Winston Churchill
This Churchill crown has become one of the most famous British coins of the last century and is available to add to your collection now.