Royal Mint 2022 Henry VII range (based on 1489 Sovereign)

[westminstrel]

https://www.thegazette.co.uk/notice/3922613

For the obverse impression Our effigy with the inscription “· ELIZABETH II · D · G · REG · F · D · 500 POUNDS ·” and the date of the year, and for the reverse a portrait of Henry VII with the inscription “HENRIC VII DI GRA REX AGL Z”. The coin shall have a grained edge.’

So this seems to be based on the first Sovereign of 1489.  This was what the Henry VII Sovereign of 1489 looked like.

 

Of course the 1989 Sovereign was based on this “enthroned portrait” too, but it depicted QE II on the throne.

I wonder if this means the Royal Mint will be bringing back an entire series of coins based on the old Sovereigns, Angels, Nobles etc. That would be a terrific series to collect and could very well rival the Great Engravers series.

Denominations:

- 5 Oz gold and silver Proof

- 2 Oz gold and silver Proof

- 10 Oz piedfort gold and silver Proof

[westminstrel]

On second thought, maybe this is a continuation of the Great Engravers series in some way.

Like a Phase II.

Edited November 16, 2021 by westminstrel

[Stu]

I think this will be a new series, damn you RM, not got deep enough pockets.  . I think this will do well. 

[jultorsk]

More Tudor "beasts", then 😉

[westminstrel]

8 minutes ago, Stu said:

I think this will be a new series, damn you RM, not got deep enough pockets.  . I think this will do well. 

I really wish they had done the Great Engravers in 1 Oz gold, and the same for this new series, if that’s what it is.

The 2 oz is a killer for the pockets. 

[Bixley]

1 hour ago, westminstrel said:

I really wish they had done the Great Engravers in 1 Oz gold, and the same for this new series, if that’s what it is.

The 2 oz is a killer for the pockets. 

I could just about afford a 2 oz gold coin if there is going to be a series but it would have to be a bullion version. My meagre funds don’t run to proof versions.

[Zhorro]

Do we know why the Mint is releasing these items?  Is a specific event being commemorated?  Or is it just to make money?

[westminstrel]

1 hour ago, Zhorro said:

Do we know why the Mint is releasing these items?  Is a specific event being commemorated?  Or is it just to make money?

I tried to find out (online) if 2022 marks any significant anniversary related to Henry VII’s birth, coronation, death or anything.

But there’s nothing that stands out.

[GoldStatue]

Surely it can't be for the great engravers, I'm not sure if anyone knows who came up with that design all those years ago 😀

It has to be a new series!

[Bixley]

56 minutes ago, GoldStatue said:

Surely it can't be for the great engravers, I'm not sure if anyone knows who came up with that design all those years ago 😀

It has to be a new series!

So if it is a new series what is its theme? Sovereign designs over the centuries? I would go for that big time.

[Zhorro]

1 minute ago, Bixley said:

So if it is a new series what is its theme? Sovereign designs over the centuries? I would go for that big time.

In which case, the Mint should make them sovereign size so that more people can afford and enjoy them.  Their policy of releasing large gold coins does not seem to be very "inclusive"!

[westminstrel]

4 minutes ago, Zhorro said:

In which case, the Mint should make them sovereign size so that more people can afford and enjoy them.  Their policy of releasing large gold coins does not seem to be very "inclusive"!

Agreed. I guess the silver denominations are affordable, but I would’ve liked to have these in gold too.

[westminstrel]

8 minutes ago, Bixley said:

So if it is a new series what is its theme? Sovereign designs over the centuries? I would go for that big time.

I’m feeling like it will be a new series since there seems to be no other logical reason for releasing this.

However, the conundrum of whether to do the Obverse or reverse exists. In this case, they used the reverse Tudor rose design for the 1989 Sovereign, so they’re (seemingly) using the obverse Portrait of Henry VII.

So are all coins going to have portraits of past monarchs, in which case is the series really about Kings and Queens?

[JJH]

so it just QEII and henry and without tudor rose?

[westminstrel]

7 minutes ago, JJH said:

so it just QEII and henry and without tudor rose?

Yes, the obverse is QE II and the reverse is some portrait of Henry VII.

It may not even be the enthroned portrait - we’re just speculating - it could be this portrait for all we know (or something else).

[JJH]

em......two head without other image. I can't even feel the connection, I can't bring up more spirits
I guess it might also be because of HENRY of 1489 and QEII is 500 years anniversary
If it is a double-sided portrait of the throne, then I would be very interested

[jultorsk]

The inscription is equally curious. HENRIC VII DI GRA REX AGL Z = "Henry VII by the Grace of God King of England and" (..not France).

Only used in half groat in that exact format it appears (and as such would've been issued 1504–1509). Which is a very small coin - just 13mm, in comparison to 10oz silver coin. 

It's just so conveniently Tudor, like the new Beasts series. 🤷‍♂️

 

[westminstrel]

15 minutes ago, jultorsk said:

The inscription is equally curious. HENRIC VII DI GRA REX AGL Z = "Henry VII by the Grace of God King of England and" (..not France).

Only used in half groat in that exact format it appears (and as such would've been issued 1504–1509). Which is a very small coin - just 13mm, in comparison to 10oz silver coin.

It's just so conveniently Tudor, like the new Beasts series. 🤷‍♂️

I wondered about the inscription too. It feels incomplete because the original has FRA.

Unless it is meant to continue on the obverse, so:

Henry VII by the Grace of God King of England and

Elizabeth II by the Grace of God Queen and Defender of the Faith

And yes, it is very very conveniently Tudor. 😀

[AndrewSL76]

On 16/11/2021 at 10:18, GoldStatue said:

Surely it can't be for the great engravers, I'm not sure if anyone knows who came up with that design all those years ago 😀

It has to be a new series!

With thanks to @ChardsCoinandBullionDealer website, there is a nice piece that references Alexander of Bruchsal - known as the father of English coin portraiture. 

https://www.chards.co.uk/blog/the-first-gold-sovereign/152

Edited January 19, 2022 by AndrewSL76

[westminstrel]

The link to register is up:

https://www.royalmint.com/our-coins/events/british-monarchs/henry-vii

[JJH]

Is it going to be released again in mid-February Is the launch of the new coin too fast...

[westminstrel]

Apparently it’s going to be released this coming Monday!  😓

[AndrewSL76]

46 minutes ago, westminstrel said:

Apparently it’s going to be released this coming Monday!  😓

Death by coin.

[westminstrel]

12 minutes ago, AndrewSL76 said:

Death by coin.

I know right?  In a way I’m not so sad now that I completely missed the Platinum Jubilee range (excerpt for the £5 BU).

[SilverJacks]

1 hour ago, westminstrel said:

Apparently it’s going to be released this coming Monday!  😓

Wow. Is this confirmed?