The Falcon of the Plantagenets is the fifth proof Queen’s Beast coin from the Royal Mint

It’s Queen’s Beasts time again and the Royal Mint have debuted the fifth coin in the proof range, one that has a slightly different order of release to the bullion coins. Those who are familiar with the range will know exactly what’s on offer as there are no fundamental changes, although a few tweaks to mintages here and there.

Four gold coins starting at a ¼oz (£480), while passing through 1oz (£1850) and 5oz (£8565) on their way to a monster 1kg coin (unseen at the time of writing). Four silver coins weigh in at 1oz (£85), 5oz (£420), 10oz (£795) and a kilo (£2025). It’s a shame, but all but a couple of the coins have seen prices rise since last year, all the more unusual given the metal spot prices are down. I guess it’s all in the timing.

As for the design – another beautiful entrant in what we think is one of the best looking series of coins being released today, although we don’t think this is the best of them to date. Available from the Royal Mint now and from dealers around the world any time now. Jody Clark continues to impress with his work for this very old mint.

2018 FALCON OF THE PLANTAGENETS PROOF COIN RANGE

MINTS DESCRIPTION

The Queen’s Beasts appeared together for the first time in 1953 at Her Majesty The Queen’s coronation and now, during its 65th anniversary, you too can own a piece of British royal history.

The Falcon passed to The Queen from the Plantagenet king Edward III. He chose the symbol to embody his love of hawking but it is also closely associated with his great-great-grandson, Edward IV. The white Falcon at The Queen’s coronation held a shield with a badge depicting a second white falcon within an open golden ‘fetterlock’ or padlock.

The fetterlock and the falcon were popular emblems in the Houses of both York and Lancaster, as they had descended from Edward III’s younger sons John of Gaunt and Edmund of Langley. The fetterlocks used by John and Edmund were always locked, perhaps to show they had no claim to the throne. Edward IV gave his younger son, Richard, the badge of a white falcon within an open fetterlock – the lock Edward forced to take the throne. Henry VII, who united the houses of York and Lancaster with his marriage to Elizabeth of York, often used a falcon symbol and it was said to be the favourite badge of Queen Elizabeth I.

DENOMINATION COMPOSITION WEIGHT DIAMETER FINISH SOLO MINTAGE MAX MINTAGE
$2 UKP 0.9999 SILVER 32.21 g 38.61 mm PROOF 5,500 5,650
$10 UKP 0.9999 SILVER 156.295 g 65.0 mm PROOF 400 550
$10 UKP 0.9999 SILVER 313.00 g 65.0 mm PROOF 350 400
$500 UKP 0.9999 SILVER 1005.0 g 100.00 mm PROOF 100 125
$25 UKP 0.9999 GOLD 7.8 g 22.00 mm PROOF 1,250 1,250
$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 75 85
$1000 UKP 0.9999 GOLD 1005.0 g 100.0 mm PROOF TBC TBC

PACKAGING

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