The Royal Mint

1953-1967

First portrait designed by Mary Gillick. The sculptor and medalist Mary Gillick was one of 17 artists invited to submit designs for the first coinage portrait of Queen Elizabeth II, who ascended the throne in February 1952. Gillick won the competition held by The Royal Mint Advisory Committee (RMAC) with a light, beautiful and fresh portrait of the young monarch unencumbered by the crown and instead wearing a laurel wreath in the classical style.

1968-1984

Second portrait designed by Arnold Machin. With decimalization fast approaching, many thought that a new coinage portrait of The Queen would help aid the public in distinguishing the new coins from the old. Machin was clear that he wished to “… produce a design with charm and dignity and yet without sentimentality…” The Queen sat for Machin four times, making sketches, and then modelling in clay, and The Duke of Edinburgh was closely involved in the process.

1985-1997

Third portrait designed by Raphael Maklouf. The RMAC invited the artist Raphael Maklouf to submit designs for their competition in which they would select a new coinage portrait of Queen Elizabeth II. The sculptor worked in clay and the artist explained that he preferred to work directly from a subject rather than taking photographs, measurements and creating preliminary sketches.

1998-2014

Fourth portrait designed by Ian Rank-Broadley. During his studies and travels, Ian Rank-Broadley FRBS developed a great admiration for the work of the famed Italian engraver Benedetto Pistrucci. The artist needed to be respectful and reflect a sense of The Queen’s age, he stated “Age is no respecter of persons, royal or otherwise, and although I was aware that my work might attract criticism, I felt that it was essential to the integrity of the project for the portrait to be a recognizable one, and not over-idealized.”

2015-2023

Fifth portrait designed by Jody Clark. In 2015, the RMAC held a ‘closed competition’ to select a new coinage portrait of The Queen. The portrait shows the monarch wearing the Royal Diamond Diadem crown from her coronation. Created by Jody Clark, the choice meant that for the first time in more than 100 years – since George William de Saulles engraved the portrait of Edward VII in 1902 – a designer at The Royal Mint was behind the definitive coinage portrait that would appear on UK coins.

2023

Sixth portrait designed by Martin Jennings. Martin has been making public sculptures in the UK for many years, the sculptor turned his hand to coin design and created the first definitive coinage portrait of King Charles III, who personally approved the portrait. In keeping with the tradition dating back centuries to the reign of Charles II, where each monarch faces in the opposite direction to their predecessor, the portrait of King Charles III faces left, whereas Queen Elizabeth II’s definitive coinage portraits show Her Majesty facing right.

2024

Seventh portrait designed by Martin Jennings. The crowned coin effigy was created specifically for the Coronation, ahead of the historic event on May 6th, and was featured on the commemorative range to mark the Coronation of Their Majesties King Charles III and Queen Camilla. The portrait features the Tudor Crown which was personally selected by His Majesty The King for the portrait, which has been used on previous crowned portraits of Kings from the 20th century.