Queens Beasts coin series enters its second half with the launch of the proof Yale of Beaufort range

Now six coins into a ten coin range, the Royal Mint’s Queens Beasts series today sees the addition of the Yale of Beaufort. A strange ‘goat-like’ creature, the Yale is depicted by Jody Clark in the same style that has characterised every issue to date. Resplendant above a heraldic shield, these have always been striking designs and this one is no different, especially in uncluttered proof form.

An expansive range of course. Four gold coins ranging from £480.00 to £50k, and four silver coins starting at £85.00 and heading to £2,025.00 mean there’s something for most budgets, although prices are typically Royal Mint high. There have been small price rises on the gold coins, but the silver matches the previous issue. As before, a base-metal coin with an unlimited mintage means those that want the coin for its design can pick one up with ease for £13.

The presentation of all coins is very good, with top variants being especially nice, and all come with a certificate of authenticity. A flagship series for the Royal Mint and one that seems to be in good hands with Jody Clark doing the honours. There have also been some tweaks to mintages, but they remain broadly as before. All are available to order today from the Royal Mint website and from their worldwide dealer network.

2019 YALE OF BEAUFORT PROOF COIN RANGE

MINTS DESCRIPTION

The Yale descends to The Queen through Henry VII, who inherited the beast from his mother, Lady Margaret Beaufort, who had played a role in the Wars of the Roses. Her position as matriarch of the Tudor dynasty gave the Yale prestige and symbolic meaning. The Yale is a mythical beast, described as the size of a hippopotamus with the tail of an elephant, the jaws of a boar and of a black or tawny colour and has the ability to swivel each of its horns independently to use as a prominent weapon.

Following the success of previous coins in the collection, the latest release features another original design by Royal Mint coin designer Jody Clark. Jody is best known for his ‘fifth portrait’ of The Queen seen on UK coinage series since 2015, but has also spent a great deal of time researching British heraldry to come up with his Queen’s Beasts designs.

Jody says of his design, “As the yale is one of the more obtuse and mythical creatures of The Queen’s Beasts, I did a lot of research into its background and its influence which has been carried through to the modern day. It was evident within my research that the yale has been depicted differently throughout the ages but the most interesting aspect, for me, was its horns as they are a constant feature in many depictions. I wanted this to be a focal point in my design, as well as maintaining its mystery and ancient heritage.

Even though the yale isn’t a real creature, I wanted the design to portray the yale as a creature of regal stature, a creature which is both rare and magnificent. I looked at lots of images of animals such as wild boards, goats, bulls and elephants to get the elements of the yale just right.”

DENOMINATION COMPOSITION WEIGHT DIAMETER FINISH SOLO MINTAGE MAX MINTAGE
$2 UKP 0.999 SILVER 32.21 g 38.61 mm PROOF 4,250 4,360
$10 UKP 0.999 SILVER 156.295 g 65.0 mm PROOF 250 335
$10 UKP 0.999 SILVER 313.00 g 65.0 mm PROOF 200 240
$500 UKP 0.999 SILVER 1005.0 g 100.00 mm PROOF 90 TBC
$25 UKP 0.9999 GOLD 7.8 g 22.00 mm PROOF 1,000 1,000
$100 UKP 0.9999 GOLD 31.21 g 32.69 mm PROOF 400 445
$500 UKP 0.9999 GOLD 156.295 g 50.0 mm PROOF 55 70
$1000 UKP 0.9999 GOLD 1005.0 g 100.0 mm PROOF 10 13

CERTIFICATE & PRESENTATION

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