Most beautiful British Coins

I'd like to hear what people think are the most beautiful British coins ever minted . I'm going to post a few of my favourites and I'd like to know what yours are.

By 'British' I'm referring to anything minted in the British isles, not just post 1707 coinage.

Obligatory Petition Crown (couldn't find it in the catalogue)

James VI Twenty Pound Piece


James VI Ducat

James VI 30 Shillings

Mary, Queen of Scots Testoon

James V Ducat

James III Groat

Elizabeth I Milled Sixpence

Elizabeth I Crown

Charles I Scottish Unit

Charles I Triple Unite

Mary, Queen of Scots Portrait Ryal



This is not my full list, I didn't even get onto post 1707 coins and sorry if my Scottish bias is showing.

In my mind you can't go past the gothic florin.

Pre-Union Scotland has some fantastic designs. I have a soft spot for them as half of my family originates from Scotland and settled just south of the borders. I do think the gothic florin is one of the best looking coins made. I'm not really a fan of hammered coinage though.

Damnit, Neil was first. The gothic florin is an absolute dream coin.

Gothic crowns and florins, Leopard coinage of Ed III, Una & Lion, the Mary spur Ryal, the James I spur ryal.

There are many. Even the Ed VII florins are very nice.

Disagree on the 'shield' coinage being the prettiest, purely because the design has remained almost static.

Ed VII florins were revolutionary as far as I'm concerned. They showed The British people what Britain was. At the time a hyper power.

Very under-estimated coin !

Quote: "g00n"​Damnit, Neil was first. The gothic florin is an absolute dream coin.

​Boo gothic FLORINS- behold the awesome Gothic CROWN!
Shame I can't get one.
Maybe I'll settle for a Una £5... oh wait.

Quote: "Mark240590"​Ed VII florins were revolutionary as far as I'm concerned. They showed The British people what Britain was. At the time a hyper power.
​
​Very under-estimated coin !

​
Only florin series I now collect! It's possibly because the strike is weak on them and it's fairly modern, so the majority people see are in poor condition. Always loved them though I'd disagree that it was at the height of British power by a long shot!

An almost identical design to the British trade dollar too, which is another I really like. (And was closer to the height of the Empire!) You have some nice trade dollars don't you?

Quote: "CassTaylor"​

Quote: "g00n"​Damnit, Neil was first. The gothic florin is an absolute dream coin.

​​Boo gothic FLORINS- behold the awesome Gothic CROWN!
​Shame I can't get one.
​Maybe I'll settle for a Una £5... oh wait.

​
No worries, you can pick up a double leopard instead.

Quote: "oggy"​

Quote: "Mark240590"​Ed VII florins were revolutionary as far as I'm concerned. They showed The British people what Britain was. At the time a hyper power.
​​
​​Very under-estimated coin !

​​
​Only florin series I now collect! It's possibly because the strike is weak on them and it's fairly modern, so the majority people see are in poor condition. Always loved them though I'd disagree that it was at the height of British power by a long shot!
​
​An almost identical design to the British trade dollar too, which is another I really like. (And was closer to the height of the Empire!) You have some nice trade dollars don't you?

Yeah, I don't think that I said it was the height of it ? Just that it was a hyper power. The British trade dollar was issued until 1935 so the 1902 florin isn't that far off "/ ha

ive looked at the proofs. I think I'll have to gets myself one ​

Quote: "Mark240590"​

Quote: "oggy"​
​

Quote: "Mark240590"​Ed VII florins were revolutionary as far as I'm concerned. They showed The British people what Britain was. At the time a hyper power.
​​​
​​​Very under-estimated coin !

​​​
​​Only florin series I now collect! It's possibly because the strike is weak on them and it's fairly modern, so the majority people see are in poor condition. Always loved them though I'd disagree that it was at the height of British power by a long shot!
​​
​​An almost identical design to the British trade dollar too, which is another I really like. (And was closer to the height of the Empire!) You have some nice trade dollars don't you?

​Yeah, I don't think that I said it was the height of it ? Just that it was a hyper power. The British trade dollar was issued until 1935 so the 1902 florin isn't that far off "/ ha
​
​ive looked at the proofs. I think I'll have to gets myself one ​

​
My bad, I thought the design was the same as the ones from 1839 and the opium wars Do you have any of those [pre 1895 ones]? I've failed to find any good pictures.

It makes sense that they'd bring the glory of Britain to the home florin after the death of Victoria too, as it marked the start of the arms race in Europe, and they probably still wanted to ensure the population still thought of them as a great power able to defend themselves with proper leadership after Victoria was gone!

Quote: "Mark240590"​Pre-Union Scotland has some fantastic designs.

​I agree, Scottish coins don't get the attention that they deserve. Although I do think they began to go downhill during the reign of Charles II, the designs are so uninspiring. I think the coinage of James VI (particularly the pre Union of Crowns coins) and Mary I are the highpoints of Scottish coinage. There is such a wide variety of different designs and legends.

Quote: "oggy"​Gothic crowns and florins, Leopard coinage of Ed III, Una & Lion, the Mary spur Ryal, the James I spur ryal.
​

​I think we can all agree that most English hammered gold is absolutely stunning, Edward III coinage in particular, especially the Anglo-Gallic coins.

Does anyone know if Anglo-Gallic coins are on Numista? I cant find them in the catalogue.

Just thought I post one of the weirder Scottish coins.

Mary, Queen of Scots Ryal (5th Period)


The reverse depicts a crowned palm tree, if you look closely you can see that a turtle is climbing the tree. I have absolutely no idea why this was design was chosen.

One of the most beautiful coins is the first one in this forum thread. https://en.numista.com/forum/topic10186.html

Quote: "neilithic"​In my mind you can't go past the gothic florin.
​
​

​100% agree

Quote: "redsmithstudios"​One of the most beautiful coins is the first one in this forum thread. https://en.numista.com/forum/topic10186.html

​The Una and the Lion £5 is an amazing coin. Too bad its out of most peoples price range and the replicas I have seen do not do it justice.

I think the Gothic florin goes without saying - definitely on my list to save up for a high grade specimen someday. I also really like the "veiled head" Victoria coins, especially the bronze types.

The brass George VI "threepenny bit", while not exactly a beautiful coin especially when it gets tarnished, has a pleasing design IMO and seems like a solid workaday coin.

For decimal issues, I think the Arnold Machin obverse is possibly the most beautiful engraving of a monarch that I've seen. The original, florin-sized 10p and the 2p are probably my favorite.

Quote: "Jesse11"​I think the Gothic florin goes without saying - definitely on my list to save up for a high grade specimen someday. I also really like the "veiled head" Victoria coins, especially the bronze types.
​
​The brass George VI "threepenny bit", while not exactly a beautiful coin especially when it gets tarnished, has a pleasing design IMO and seems like a solid workaday coin.
​
​For decimal issues, I think the Arnold Machin obverse is possibly the most beautiful engraving of a monarch that I've seen. The original, florin-sized 10p and the 2p are probably my favorite.
​
​

​You are clearly a young feller with exquisite tases.

The UK brass 3ds are a great series to collect as it's very possible to complete the entire KGVI - QEII series without any major expense. The key dates in very high grades are quite expensive, although even those are not prohibitive. The reverse design on the pre 1953 coins is an interesting choice by the designer. It's an English herb called Thrift which was most appropriate for the period as Great Britain was still experiencing food shortages and even ration both during and after the war. How many major series stretching over two different reigns can you complete for less than $50?

I think I have found the winners. The Gothic Crown is so much nicer in gold.

Una is sometimes underwhelming.

How about this one?

In my opinion, gothic florin is the most beautiful British coins, yet I don't refrain from collecting all the others :)

Hello, everybody.

 

I'm sorry, D Maclean, for my extremely late response to your question.  Though only a recent coin, there is a beauty and a simplicity about the obverse of Elizabeth II half-crowns dated 1954 to the end of the denomination in 1967:

 

The Queen's portrait is youthful; the Latin legend on that side of the coin ("Elizabeth II, by the Grace of God, Queen") is unabbreviated, as rarely happens.

 

Here is the reverse, for completeness:

 

Thank you.

I prefer this…

 

For me this is among the most beautifull British coins imo. N#2577 

Where do I start.

 

Probably the Una and the Lion £5 coin of 1839 - but this coin is extremely rare, however there were some very expensive and large reissues of it in 2019.

N#16738

 

Then the Gothic Crown of 1847

N#23740

 

But of stuff we can actually get, I choose these (I have a bias for historical pieces, so if you love modern decimal coins, my choices may not be for you!)

 

This garter shield design found on 1823 - 1825 George IV coins and a slight less pretty version on 1887 - 1892 Jubilee coins of Victoria

 

Pretty much every type of Regency (1816 - 1837) style halfcrown. This late Georgian neo classical frippery just really appeals to me, especially when its blinging!

 

Old head Halfcrowns, shillings and florins of Queen Victoria 1893 - 1901

Just elaborate and gorgeous, but a more Arts and Crafts feel than the curtains, plumage and over sized drag queen aesethics of the Georgian era.

Some more - De Saulles designs of Edward VII and George V (1902 - 1927)

 

 

Again the high imperial tone, but a bit more shorn of the cluttered look of Victorian coins. The Florin is really up there.

 

The Godless Florin is another classic, but you can't go wrong with its younger sister the Gothic Florin.

 

Again only in high grade though. This one is high VF, low EF and the best I can get, but UNC examples are just wow. Anything under fine, you have flat shields and pretty much all these designs in low grades (Under Fine) look awful.

 

For later coins - nearly all the Florin designs are winners, but the later George V coinage of Kruger Gray in my opinion is a knockout in the highest grades (AU and UNC)

 

 

Photos can't do it justice, but here is my UNC 36 and a Proof 1927.

 

I may come up with some more choices later.

oggyUna is sometimes underwhelming.

How about this one?

Absolutely, a famous pattern design by Allan Wyon. These were planned for the gold, along with a 1910 Crown and Wyon also did the cruciform shields design for a Proposed Double Florin and its 1/6 fraction - the Octorino (8 pence). Anyone who has a Maurice Bull book will know these designs well.

 

For us Maurice Bull fans - you can not go past the Three Virtues design of 1817 for a proposed George III coin. This design kind of inspired the Una and the Lion coin.

The first version of the St George and the Dragon design is not to be sniffed at either. It was only seen on George III coins of 1817 and 1820, namely the Gold sovereign, its half and the silver crown.

 

 

For those who don't know about it, we have the garter belt and logo surrounding St George and the word PISTRUCCI underneath it.

All this disappeared with the coins of George IV from 1821 onwards. After 1825 the St. George design was retired from the gold coins and the silver crowns stopped in 1822, revived in 1844 under different designs. However in 1871, the design reappeared on gold coins (With shield coins until 1887, when it became exclusive). Silver crowns revived in 1887, also revived the design.

 

Again I was lucky to get this first year 1818 Crown in near EF condition, they look less nice more worn.

 

 

There are two main types of the design on post 1871sovereigns, the first has design missing the streamer on St. George's helmet as shown on the 1886 coin, however with the Jubilee coins from 1887, the streamer is back. Caution, 1887 Young Head coins are quite common and show the older version with no helmet streamer as well. You will know which is which as the head of the Queen changes and the orientation changes from Coin (Young head) to Medal (Jubilee Head onwards).

 

Starting in 1887 and again in 1893, 1902, 1911, 1937 and 1953 - the design also appeared on Special issue Double and Quintuple (5) sovereign pieces). The design fits well on Doubles like my 1893, however on the 5 sov coins, its quite small compared to all the open space around the design and I feel loses some of its impact. The design also reappeared on Post 1980 collector issues and these often included Multiple coins and recently even ¼ Sovereign coins, which are really small sized and crowded.

 

In 1989 we saw the first ever non St. George design on a Sovereign since 1887 (Shields)

 

 

Was these, a mock Tudor design in 1989 to celebrate 500 years of Sovereigns (There was Tudor era sovereign as well) and these did not use the St George design, but a Tudorised coat of arms and Elizabeth on the Coronation chair, a la Henry VII on the 1489 Gold Sovereign, complete with Lombardic style medieval lettering. These designs are stunners full stop.

 

1990 was back to St George, but occasionally modified designs have been used such as in 2005 and 2012.

 

In 2024 - the St George and Dragon design of Benedetto Pistrucci is still going strong after 207 years!