2017 2 oz Silver Great Britain Queen's Beast The Griffin

• 2017 Silver Great Britain Queen's Beast The Griffin
• Grade: Brilliant Uncirculated
• Denomination: £5
• Country of Origin: Great Britain
• Metal Content: 2 Troy Oz
• Purity: .999
• Mint: British Royal  Mint
• Thickness: 6 mm
• Diameter: 38.61 mm
• Mintage: Mint to Order

Coin in the photo is just a stock photo. The item that is shipped is guaranteed Brilliant Uncirculated or better.

At the coronation of Her Majesty The Queen, 10 heraldic beasts stood guard. The Queen’s Beasts, sculpted by James Woodford RA for the coronation ceremony held in Westminster Abbey in 1953, stand six feet tall. The heraldic creatures symbolized the various strands of royal ancestry brought together in a young woman about to be crowned queen. Each proud beast, used as a heraldic badge by generations that went before her, was inspired by the King’s Beasts of Henry VIII that still line the bridge over the moat at his Hampton Court Palace. 

Today, The Queen’s Beasts can be found at the Canadian Museum of History in Quebec, while Portland stone replicas, also carved by James Woodford, watch over Kew Gardens in the United Kingdom. But these mythical, ancient creatures – lions, griffin, falcon, bull, yale, greyhound, dragon, unicorn and horse – have gone on to inspire the highly-praised new talent, Royal Mint Coin Designer Jody Clark. 

The griffin of Edward III Queen's Beast is an ancient mythical beast. It was considered a beneficent creature, signifying courage and strength combined with guardianship, vigilance, swiftness and keen vision. It was closely associated with Edward III who engraved it on his private seal. The shield shows the Round Tower of Windsor Castle, where Edward III was born, with the Royal Standard flying from the turret, enclosed by two branches of oak surmounted by the royal crown.

The griffin is a legendary creature with the body, tail, and back legs of a lion; the head and wings of an eagle; and an eagle's talons as its front feet. Because the lion was traditionally considered the king of the beasts and the eagle the king of birds, the griffin was thought to be an especially powerful and majestic creature. The griffin was also thought of as king of all creatures. Griffins are known for guarding treasure and priceless possessions. (APMEX)