The Queen's Beasts: The Griffin of Edward III - 2021 Proof Fine Silver with Goldclad® £2 Coin - BIOT

The griffin is a mythical creature with the body, tail and back legs of a lion and the head and wings of an eagle. It is said that it represents a combination of courage, strength, guardianship and leadership and it’s meant to have the natural keen vision and swiftness of the mighty eagle. The design on the coin shows a griffin’s head with a shield at the centre showing the Round Tower of Windsor with the Royal Standard flying from the turret, enclosed by two branches of oak surmounted by the royal crown. The Queen’s Beasts are ten heraldic statues representing the genealogy of Queen Elizabeth II which are depicted as the Royal supporters of England with each one consisting of a heraldic beast supporting a shield bearing the badge or arms of a family associated with the ancestry of Queen Elizabeth II. The original statues were commissioned to stand at an entrance of Westminster Abbey for Her Majesty’s Coronation in 1953. Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II celebrated her 95th Birthday in 2021 and we therefore felt that a series of coins featuring the Queen’s Beasts would be a perfect tribute to celebrate this event, a milestone that no other Monarch has reached. The obverse of the coin features the Pobjoy Mint exclusive effigy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.