Royal Arms series
The Royal Mint's investment coins represent the glorious history and heraldry of the United Kingdom embodied in the symbol of strength and majesty. TheRoyal Arms of Great Britain have been a staple of British coinage for centuries. The motif is based on Eric Sewell's iconic design, which first appeared on the British £1 coin in 1983. It was redesigned by Timothy Noad for the 2019 Investment Coin Series.
The current Royal Arms of Great Britain incorporate key elements that were combined as a result of the Act of Union with Scotland in 1707 and Ireland in 1801. The centrepiece is a quartered shield representing the nations of the United Kingdom. The first and fourth quadrants show the three passive guardian lions of England dating from the reign of Richard I. In the top right, Scotland is represented by an untamed lion framed by a double border of mirror-arranged lilies. The harp of Ireland is at the bottom right. The standard bearers are the crowned lion of England and the unicorn of Scotland with a crown hung around its neck and attached by a chain. The shield is mounted on the national floral symbols (rose, thistle and shamrock) and represent England, Scotland and Ireland. This current version is unique in that it also includes the leek principality of Wales. The coat of arms also includes the two mottos "DIEU ET MON DROIT" ("God and my right") and "HONI SOIT QUI MAL Y PENSE" ("Shame on him who thinks badly").
