The Royal Mint Series, 2019–2026

The Great Engravers Collection

A journey through 1,100 years of British numismatic artistry, celebrating the masterworks of history's finest coin engravers with modern striking techniques.

10 Coin Releases
4 Master Engravers
7 Years
The Coins
The Masterworks

Seven Designs, Ten Releases

Each design in the series is covered in a dedicated guide — its history, symbolism, inscriptions, and mintage data.

Una and the Lion, 1839 five pounds, reverse
Release #1 — 2019
Una and the Lion
William Wyon, 1839

Victoria as Spenser's Una guiding the British Lion — the most romantic coin in British history.

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III
Release #2 — 2021
The Three Graces
William Wyon, 1817

Three kingdoms personified, after Canova — one of the rarest of all British patterns.

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Gothic Crown of 1847, Queen Victoria
Releases #3 & 4 — 2021–22
The Gothic Crown
William Wyon & William Dyce, 1847

Medieval revival in precious metal — Britain's first proof-only crown.

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1663
Releases #5 & 6 — 2023
The Petition Crown
Thomas Simon, 1663

A master engraver's plea to his king, written on the edge of the finest coin England had seen.

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1817 sovereign of George III with Pistrucci's St George and the Dragon
Release #7 — 2024
St George & the Dragon
Benedetto Pistrucci, 1818

Two centuries on the sovereign — the eternal design of British coinage.

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1815
Releases #8 & 9 — 2024–25
The Waterloo Medal
Benedetto Pistrucci, 1819–1849

Thirty years of work, never struck in his lifetime — realized at last in 2024–25.

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1831
Release #10 — 2026
The William IV Crown
Jean Baptiste Merlen, 1831

The series finale: neoclassical elegance from the forgotten king's coinage.

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The Vision

More Than 1,100 Years of History

The Royal Mint's Great Engravers Collection represents an unprecedented celebration of numismatic heritage, breathing new life into some of the world's most sought-after coin designs.

As the original maker of British coins for over a millennium, The Royal Mint possesses an unparalleled archive of historic designs and dies. The Great Engravers Collection harnesses this legacy, combining digital scanning of original 18th and 19th-century dies with traditional hand-engraving techniques. Each release represents a career masterpiece — designs so significant they defined entire eras of British coinage. Struck on 24-karat gold and .999 fine silver blanks with modern proof techniques, these remastered designs reveal detail and relief that would have been impossible in their original era.

The Artists

Four Master Engravers

The series celebrates four extraordinary artists whose designs defined British coinage across three centuries.

William Wyon

1795–1851
Chief Engraver, The Royal Mint (1828–1851)

The most celebrated British coin engraver of the 19th century, Wyon created designs of exceptional beauty and technical mastery. His romantic style and classical influences revolutionized British coinage during the Victorian era.

Featured Works
Una and the Lion (1839/2019) The Three Graces (1817/2021) Gothic Crown (1847/2021–22)

Thomas Simon

c. 1618–1665
Chief Engraver under the Commonwealth & Charles II

A master of baroque portraiture, Simon created coins of exceptional detail and artistry. His famous Petition Crown was a masterwork of engraving, featuring a two-line edge inscription unprecedented in its time.

Featured Works
Petition Crown (1663/2023)

Benedetto Pistrucci

1784–1855
Chief Medallist, The Royal Mint (1828–1855)

An Italian gem engraver of legendary skill and temperament, Pistrucci created the iconic St George and the Dragon design still used on British sovereigns today. His Waterloo Medal, which took 30 years to complete, was never struck in his lifetime.

Featured Works
St George and the Dragon (1818/2024) Waterloo Medal — Allied Leaders (2024) Waterloo Medal — Victory (2025)

Jean Baptiste Merlen

1769–1850
French Engraver & Medallist

A French engraver who worked for The Royal Mint during the 1820s and 1830s, Merlen created designs in the neoclassical style. His shield design for William IV's coinage represents the transition between Georgian and Victorian numismatics.

Featured Works
William IV Crown (1831/2026)
The Journey

Release Timeline (2019–2026)

The series followed an unhurried release schedule spanning seven years, each coin a carefully chosen masterwork from British numismatic history.

2019

Una and the Lion

by William Wyon
ReleasedNovember 2019
Dated2019

The series launches with arguably the most romantic coin design in British history, originally struck in 1839 to mark Queen Victoria's coronation.

2021

The Three Graces

by William Wyon
ReleasedFebruary 2021
Dated2020

An 1817 pattern showing three graces representing England, Scotland, and Ireland. Only around 50 originals were struck.

2021–2022

Gothic Crown (Dual Release)

by William Wyon & William Dyce
ReleasedDec 2021 & Feb 2022
Dated2021

Wyon's 1847 Gothic Crown released as two coins: the Quartered Arms reverse and the Portrait obverse, letting collectors appreciate each side individually.

2023

Petition Crown

by Thomas Simon
ReleasedMarch 2023
Dated2023

Simon's 1663 masterpiece, with his petition to Charles II inscribed on the edge. Only 16–30 originals survive.

2024

St George and the Dragon

by Benedetto Pistrucci
ReleasedFebruary 2024
Dated2024

Pistrucci's 1818 design — still in use on gold sovereigns — presented in unprecedented high relief.

2024–2025

Waterloo Medal (Dual Release)

by Benedetto Pistrucci
ReleasedJun 2024 & Jan 2025
Dated2024 & 2025

Pistrucci's legendary medal, 30 years in the making and never struck in his lifetime, finally produced as the Allied Leaders and Victory releases.

2026

William IV Crown (1831)

by Jean Baptiste Merlen
ReleasedFebruary 2026
Dated2026

The series finale. Only around 200 proof sets of the original were struck in 1831, making originals nearly unobtainable.

Production Numbers

Official Mintage Figures

Strict production limits ensure these modern strikes remain as collectible as their historic counterparts. Some editions number fewer than 10 pieces worldwide.

Understanding Rarity

The Great Engravers series follows The Royal Mint's ultra-low mintage strategy for premium collector coins. Gold pieces typically range from 1–350 pieces depending on weight and price point, while silver editions range from 16–3,750. Multi-kilo pieces are especially rare, with 5kg and 10kg gold pieces often unique or limited to just 1–2 strikes.

2019 — Una and the Lion
DenominationMintage
Five-Kilo Gold Proof Coin Unique1
Two-Kilo Gold Proof Coin Extreme Rarity4
Kilo Gold Proof Coin12
Five-Ounce Gold Proof Coin65
Two-Ounce Gold Proof Coin225
Two-Kilo Silver Proof Coin39
Two-Ounce Silver Proof Coin3,000
Two-Ounce Silver Proof Coin — PF672
2020 — The Three Graces
DenominationMintage
Five-Kilo Gold Proof Coin Unique1
Two-Kilo Gold Proof Coin8
Kilo Gold Proof Coin20
Five-Ounce Gold Proof Coin150
Two-Ounce Gold Proof Coin325
Two-Kilo Silver Proof Coin38
Five-Ounce Silver Proof Coin500
Two-Ounce Silver Proof Coin3,499
2021 — Gothic Crown

Portrait Release

DenominationMintage
10Kg Gold Proof Coin Unique1
5Kg Gold Proof Coin Unique1
2Kg Gold Proof Coin Extreme Rarity4
1Kg Gold Proof Coin11
10oz Gold Proof Coin33
5oz Gold Proof Coin166
2oz Gold Proof Coin347
2oz Gold Proof Coin (Plain Edge)122
2Kg Silver Proof Coin16
1Kg Silver Proof Coin19
10oz Silver Proof Coin212
5oz Silver Proof Coin459
2oz Silver Proof Coin3,637

Mint Marque Exclusive: The Plain Edge variation of the 2oz Gold Proof Gothic Crown Portrait was offered exclusively to Royal Mint Mint Marque customers.

Quartered Arms Release

DenominationMintage
10Kg Gold Proof Coin Unique1
5Kg Gold Proof Coin2
2Kg Gold Proof Coin6
1Kg Gold Proof Coin20
10oz Gold Proof Coin38
5oz Gold Proof Coin175
2oz Gold Proof Coin349
2oz Gold Proof Coin (Plain Edge)125
2Kg Silver Proof Coin25
1Kg Silver Proof Coin41
10oz Silver Proof Coin222
5oz Silver Proof Coin495
2oz Silver Proof Coin3,737

Two-Coin Sets

DenominationMintage
2oz Gold Proof Two-Coin Set50
2oz Silver Proof Two-Coin Set162
2023 — Petition Crown
DenominationMintage
5Kg Gold Proof Two-Coin Set Unique1
1Kg Gold Two-Coin Set2
5oz Gold Proof Two-Coin Set19
2oz Gold Proof Two-Coin Set94
10oz Silver Proof Two-Coin Set108
2oz Silver Proof Two-Coin Set1,790

Note: Mintage data for the 2024–2026 releases (St George and the Dragon, the Waterloo Medal series, and the William IV Crown) have not yet been officially published.

William IV Crown — Mint Marque Exclusive: A Plain Edge Matte Proof variation of the 2oz Gold William IV Crown (1831) was offered exclusively to Royal Mint Mint Marque customers.