2021 Queen’s Beasts – White Greyhound of Richmond £2 Silver Proof

Description

Edmund Tudor, Henry VII’s father, was the first to be created Earl of Richmond and the white greyhound was associated with the Honour of Richmond. During his reign, Henry VII officially replaced the English Lion with the White Greyhound in the coat of arms of England, which eventually were used on all his standards. 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 on consisting of a heraldic beat 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. The obverse of the coin features the Pobjoy Mint exclusive effigy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.
Pobjoy Mint is delighted to announce the release of the second coin in the stunning new series of £2 Bi-Metal Coins featuring the Queen’s Beasts. The coin, issued on behalf of the British Indian Ocean Territory, features the White Greyhound of Richmond. The White Greyhound of Richmond is best known for bearing a shield of Tudor livery, white and green, with a Tudor Rose ensigned by a Royal Crown. The rose in the badge shows the association of the red and the white elements of Lancaster and York respectively, emphasising the famous union of the rival houses. Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II will be celebrating 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.