British Silver Royal Tudor Beasts Coins

The Royal Mint's Royal Tudor Beasts Collection

As a follow up to the wildly popular Queen’s Beasts series, The Royal Tudor Beasts Collection continues to celebrate British history. The Royal Tudor Beasts series features the ten heraldic beasts surrounding the Moat Bridge of Hampton Court Palace that have been standing for hundreds of years. This collection features beautifully detailed silver coins in limited mintages to commemorate the Tudor Dynasty.

The Royal Tudor Beasts

The Royal Tudor Beasts Collection will be a ten-part collection released by The Royal Mint over a five-year time period. The ten heraldic beasts surrounding the Moat Bridge of Hampton Court Palace are a notable feature of the palace's architecture. Each beast represents an important figure or lineage associated with the history of the British monarchy. Upon completion, The Royal Tudor Beasts Collection will include: the Seymour Panther, the Lion of England, the Bull of Clarence, the Tudor Dragon, the Greyhound of Richmond, the Royal Dragon, the Yale of Beaufort, the Seymour Unicorn, the Queen’s Panther and the Queen’s Lion.

• Seymour Panther:The Seymour panther represents the strong union of a devoted consort and a powerful king.
• Lion of England:As one of the oldest beasts in the heraldy, the Lion of England representes pride and courage.
• Bull of Clarence:The bull symbolizes the Beaufort family, who were descendants of John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster, and played a significant role in the Wars of the Roses.
• Tudor Dragon:The dragon is associated with Wales and symbolizes sovereignty and power.
• Greyhound of Richmond:The greyhound represents Princess Margaret Tudor, the sister of King Henry VIII and wife of James IV of Scotland.
• Royal Dragon:
• Yale of Beaufort:The yale is a mythical creature with characteristics of various animals, such as an antelope, a goat, or a horse. The Yale of Beaufort is depicted holding the Arms of Jane Seymour to represent her authority and influence as the king’s new wife.
• Seymour Unicorn:The unicorn symbolizes Scotland and is often depicted as a horse-like creature with a single horn.
• Queen's Panther:The panther represents courage and strength combined with guardianship, vigilance, and swiftness.
• Queen's Lion:The Queen's lion represents England and is a common symbol of royalty and strength.

These heraldic beasts were likely chosen to represent the lineage and power associated with the ruling monarchs of the time. They add to the grandeur and symbolism of Hampton Court Palace, which was a favorite residence of King Henry VIII and subsequent monarchs.

History of The Royal Mint

The Royal Mint has a long and fascinating history that stretches back over a thousand years. The Royal Mint can trace its origins to around 886 AD when Anglo-Saxon kings established a mint in London. Initially, coins were produced to support trade and commerce.

In the 16th century, during the reign of Henry VIII, significant coinage reforms were undertaken. This included standardizing coin weights and compositions to combat counterfeiting and ensure uniformity.

In 1660, following the Restoration of the monarchy, the minting operations were reorganized, and the institution became known as The Royal Mint. It continued to operate primarily from the Tower of London - where it remained until the 1960s.

In the 1960s, due to the limitations of the Tower Hill site, The Royal Mint moved its headquarters and primary production facility to Llantrisant, Wales. The move allowed for larger-scale production and the adoption of new technologies.

Today, The Royal Mint remains an important institution responsible for minting coins for the United Kingdom and other countries. It combines traditional craftsmanship with modern techniques to produce coins of the highest quality and continues to play a vital role in the numismatic and global bullion markets.