The Red Dragon of Wales is the latest proof Queens Beasts coin. Could this be the best yet?

Only the third of the proposed ten-coin Queens Beasts series of coins, the Red Dragon of Wales joins the proof range with a wide selection of sizes at an equally wide variety of price points. Already available in the bullion range (now on its fourth issue), we loved this design there and it looks better than ever here.

A full range of sizes is available, although the gold kilo is absent from the Royal Mint site at present. As before, the silver starts at one ounce and passes through five ounces, ten ounces, and on to a kilo. Again and strangely enough, the original two-ounce size isn’t replicated in proof form. For gold the range comprises a quarter ounce, one ounce, five ounce and (we’re assuming) a kilo.

As for the prices, the silver coins come in at £85.00, £415.00, £795.00 and £2050.00 for the kilo. Gold coins are £455.00, £1825.00, £8450.00 and £49995.00 in order of size. Silver prices have remained unchanged from the previous issue, but the gold ounce has risen £30.00 and the gold 5 oz a significant £200. Packaging is as excellent as you’d expect from the Royal Mint. In our view, the five-ounce coins are the pick of the bunch from an aesthetic viewpoint. The ten-ounce silver remains disappointing – it’s simply a piedfort five-ounce and thus the doubling in weight has not been used to increase diameter, but simply gone on thickness.

A really beautiful coin and a testament to the skills of designer Jody Clark. Mintages below reflect the packaging option being offered at the moment, so we’d expect to see a small rise in most numbers to reflect any sets or other  presentations that may come. Please use the ad link below as AgAuNEWS will get a small bonus if you do and it all helps.

UPDATED with hi-res images, more mintage information and background

2018 RED DRAGON OF WALES PROOF COIN RANGE

MINTS DESCRIPTION

The coin for The Red Dragon of Wales, struck at The Royal Mint’s home in South Wales, captures the spirit and beauty of the Welsh nation. Dragons are one of the best known mythical beasts, found in legends all over the world, and are associated with strength, wisdom and power. The Red Dragon was an emblem of Owen Tudor, the grandfather of Henry VII. Henry’s troops carried a fiery red dragon standard at the Battle of Bosworth. More than four centuries later, at Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation, the dragon took its place as one of The Queen’s Beasts, reinforcing Her Majesty’s connection to Wales.

Unusually, the coin designs on both sides are by the same designer, Jody Clark, who is a member of The Royal Mint design team. Jody is best known for his ‘fifth portrait’ of The Queen that has been seen on UK coinage since 2015, but has also researched British heraldry to come up with his Queen’s Beasts designs.

Jody says, “I wanted the beasts in the collection to feel fantastical but also have realistic elements. I think the static shield at the centre of the coin gives a contrast to the beast, with the dragon’s tail and claws curling around the shield giving the design a sense of movement.

“Although the dragon isn’t a real creature, I could still take inspiration from real animals. I researched lizards, crocodiles and snakes and tried lots of different approaches until I got the look I wanted. The dragon’s wings were difficult to create; they’re almost skin-like so looking at bats helped with that. “

Thomas Lloyd, The Wales Herald of Arms Extraordinary writes: “The dragon is one of the oldest and best known of all mythical beasts, drawn on as often today as in the far distant past. From Western Europe to China and Japan, it appears in different forms, lizard-like and fire-breathing in the East and in the West upstanding and muscular, its tongue like an arrow, standing for strength, speed and power beyond human ability, intended to strike terror into its enemies.

The Red Dragon has especially become the emblem of ancient Welsh pride, emerging from heroic traditions of King Arthur and his father Uther Pendragon, to become a Royal Beast of the Tudor monarchs, supporting the coat of arms of that proud Welsh dynasty. From there it has become the emblem of the modern Welsh nation, resplendent on the Welsh flag against a background of white and green, the livery colours of the Tudor sovereigns. In this form also, it is Her Majesty the Queen’s Royal Badge for Wales, encircled with a riband bearing the motto: “Y Ddraig Goch Ddyry Cychwyn” (The Red Dragon Gives The Lead”), so that the Red Dragon today retains its significance as a Royal Beast no less than in centuries past”.

DENOMINATION COMPOSITION WEIGHT DIAMETER FINISH SOLO MINTAGE MAX MINTAGE
$2 UKP 0.9999 SILVER 32.21 g 38.61 mm PROOF 6,000 TBC
$10 UKP 0.9999 SILVER 156.295 g 65.0 mm PROOF 500 750
$10 UKP 0.9999 SILVER 313.00 g 65.0 mm PROOF 600 700
$500 UKP 0.9999 SILVER 1005.0 g 100.00 mm PROOF 150 200
$25 UKP 0.9999 GOLD 7.8 g 22.00 mm PROOF 1,500 TBC
$100 UKP 0.9999 GOLD 31.21 g 32.69 mm PROOF 400 500
$500 UKP 0.9999 GOLD 156.295 g 50.0 mm PROOF 75 90
$1000 UKP 0.9999 GOLD 1005.0 g 100.0 mm PROOF 13 13

PACKAGING

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