Why does the Queen face right on coins but left on postage stamps? | Notes and Queries | guardian.co.uk THIS SCEPTRED ISLE Why does the Queen face right on coins but left on postage stamps? THE design of coins is determined by a tradition going back at least to the time of Charles II that the direction in which the head faces should alternate between the coinage of successive monarchs. The only exception to this has been the coinage of Edward VIII, who insisted on his likeness facing left. It is not clear whether this was an expression of rebellion against convention, or vanity, to show what he regarded as his better profile, containing his hair parting. Edward VIII abdicated before being crowned, and no new coinage was released into general circulation during his reign, although a few experimental pieces were produced. Some coins were issued in British colonies, but none with a likeness of the King, though an appropriate design (facing left) had been chosen. It was nevertheless determined that designs for the coinage of George VI, his successor, should be prepared as if that of Edward VIII had been produced and as if it had depicted him facing right, thus reinstating the original tradition. The coinage of Elizabeth II has been in accordance with tradition.

Postage stamps are quite different. Ever since the first prepaid adhesive stamps were issued in 1840, all standard issues have shown the head of the reigning monarch in profile (except between 1953 and 1967, with a three-quarters view of Elizabeth II) and facing left. The direction appears to have been determined solely by the fact that the earliest were based upon a medal showing Victoria facing left: it is possible that the direction was selected to conform with the coinage then in circulation. The rule does not apply to commemorative issues: three such stamps were produced showing George VI and Queen Elizabeth; the couple are shown in full-face or in profile facing right. An early commemorative stamp of Elizabeth II also shows her full-face: commemorative issues since 1966 have usually shown a profile view based on the bust designed by Mary Gillick for the pre-decimal coinage. Regular issues have shown a crowned bust based upon a plaster cast by Arnold Machin, who also designed the decimal coinage. Since 1973, many have shown a profile silhouette of the Queen facing right. Certain postage stamps issued to commemorate royal weddings have not contained the Queen's head at all.

John Richardson, Department of Human Sciences, Brunel University. SO THAT she can read the messages on postcards. Stuart Britton, Southampton, Hampshire (106127.2123@compuserve.com) Why do English Monarchs face the way they do on Australian Coins? Why do English Monarchs face the way they do on Australian Coins? January 25, 2011 From left Edward VII, George V, George VI, Elizabeth II Have you wondered why King George VI faces to the left and Queen Elizabeth II faces to the right? It's a royal tradition that the succeeding King or Queen face the opposite direction to their predecessor in their profile portrait depicted on currency. From 800AD the coins of Britain showed the names of the reigning king, and in 939AD Athelstan became the first King of Britain whose portrait appeared on a coin. From the time of Charles II (1660) a tradition developed where the succeeding monarch's portrait on coins faced in the opposite direction to their predecessor. Up until this day there has been a general tradition on Commonwealth coins that a representation of the reigning monarch be shown and this includes Australia.

The portrait must be approved by the King or Queen before being struck onto coins. Queen Elizabeth II always faces to the right. She has had a number of formal portrait designs through the years still seen on all decimal currency. As can be seen on the image above King Edward VII (1901-1910) faces to the right and his successor King George V (1910-1936) faces to the left. There was a glitch in the tradition of the direction that the royal portraits faced after George V. King Edward VIII (not shown above) who succeeded the throne had coins issued in his name which depicted his portrait facing to the left. He thought it was his "best side" and refused to follow the royal tradition. After just 11 months as King, Edward VIII voluntarily renounced the throne because of public disapproval for his wife-to-be Wallis Simpson. Objections were raised over her two previous failed marriages and she was labelled as unsuitable to be the King's consort. Edward VIII, unwilling to give her up, abdicated the throne in December 1936. Because of the short time that he reigned and the disagreement over his portrait no coins containing his portrait were issued.

Some extremely rare pattern coins were struck in anticipation of his coinage being released but these never entered circulation. In more recent times some fantasy pieces containing his portrait have become available on the collector market. George VI followed reigning 1936-1952 facing to the left and Queen Elizabeth in 1952 facing to the right. All the coins seen with her majesty Queen Elizabeth II depict her portrait profile facing to the right, from a pre-decimal 1964 penny to your 1966 round 50c to your 2010 Australian Tax Office 20c you got in change at the supermarket today. Posted by harrisk at January 25, 2011 10:20 AM From Victoria to Elizabeth: The Royal Mint’s historic penny collection From Victoria to Elizabeth: The Royal Mint’s historic penny collection Whether a seasoned coin collector or a youngster new to the world of collecting, historic coins hold a certain fascination - what tales do these coins tell? Whose hands have they passed through over the years?

The Royal Mint’s newly released historic penny collection is likely to ignite the imagination of anyone wanting to explore the story of Britain through the reigns of monarchs from Victoria to Elizabeth, penny by penny. Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth II – both Diamond Jubilee queens – are Britain’s longest ruling sovereigns, between them reigning over Britain for more than half of the last 200 years. This set comprises five pennies struck for circulation, bearing the portraits of Queen Victoria, Edward VII, George V, George VI and Elizabeth II, and is presented in a folder that explores their story. Queen Victoria (1837 – 1901) Victoria’s 64-year reign began with a portrait by William Wyon RA, whose beautifully flattering ‘Young Head’ remained on copper coins until 1860. With copper being replaced by bronze that year, a new portrait – affectionately known as the ‘Bun Head’ – was prepared by Leonard Charles Wyon, son of William. A third portrait would appear on bronze coins from 1895, the ‘Old Head’ by Thomas Brock RA.

Edward VII (1901 – 1910) Edward VII was the first and only British king of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha – the family name inherited from his father, Albert, Prince Consort. Edward succeeded to the throne on the death of his mother at the age of 59, having been heir apparent for longer than anyone else in British history until Prince Charles took that title in 2011. The elegant coinage portrait of the king was created by George William de Saulles. George V (1910 – 1936) George V carved out a Naval career until the death of his elder brother, Prince Albert. In the First World War George V changed the family name by Royal Proclamation, choosing instead Windsor, for the castle that still provides home and haven for the Royal Family. His portrait was created by Australian sculptor Bertram Mackennal, a highly regarded artist and a favourite of the king. Edward VIII (1936) The absent penny.

As his Coronation approached Edward VIII selected a flattering portrait by Humphrey Paget, insisting on his better profile being captured for posterity and so facing in the same direction as his father – against centuries of tradition whereby succeeding monarchs face in opposite directions. During his short reign coins were never released into circulation, but rare pattern pieces are held by The Royal Mint Museum. George VI (1936 – 1952) Unlike his elder brother, George would not bow to vanity when it came to his coinage. The king faces to the left, choosing to acknowledge the reign of Edward VIII, but acting as if Edward had complied with convention on his coinage portrait. George VI is uncrowned, the portrait by Humphrey Paget simple, balanced, technically near-perfect and somehow reassuring. Elizabeth II (1952 – present) As the young Queen took her throne her first coins were important to mark a new era, and continuing tradition. Sculptor Mary Gillick portrayed Elizabeth as youthful and fresh, wearing a wreath of laurel.

Since her portrait there have been three standard coinage effigies – by Arnold Machin RA in 1968, Raphael Maklouf in 1985 and the current portrait by Ian Rank-Broadley FRBS since 1998, which has taken her beyond a Diamond Jubilee. Britannia Britannia first appeared on coins in Roman times, coming to symbolise Britain and her values. It is Britannia that unites the pennies in this set, for she has appeared on the coins of every monarch since she was reintroduced to the coinage in 1672 under Charles II. Shane Bissett, The Royal Mint’s Director of Commemorative Coin said “Britain’s smallest denomination circulating coin is regarded as a cornerstone of our coinage, and still has the ability to charm – the ‘lucky’ penny is thought to bring luck to its recipients even today. “This intriguing set is a great way of tracking the story of Britain through coins, and would be a wonderful introduction to the world of coins for any budding collector”. About The Royal Mint The Royal Mint has an unbroken history of minting British coinage dating back over 1,000 years.

By the late thirteenth century the organisation was based in the Tower of London, and remained there for over 500 years. By 1812 The Royal Mint had moved out of the Tower to premises on London’s Tower Hill. In 1967 the building of a new Royal Mint began on its current site in South Wales, UK. While The Royal Mint’s finest traditions are always respected, it continually innovates in order to stay at the forefront of world minting, embracing the latest production techniques and technology in order to offer excellence to our clients across the globe. By underpinning our proud heritage with a highly progressive outlook, coins from The Royal Mint remain a byword for trust and reliability the world over. There were estimated to be 28.9 billion UK coins in circulation at 31 March 2014 ,with a total face value of over £4 billion, all manufactured by The Royal Mint. In total, nearly 2 billion UK coins were issued during 2013-14. As well as over 1,000 years of producing British coinage, The Royal Mint has long been trusted with the currencies of other countries.

It currently serves more than 100 issuing authorities around the world and meets approximately 15% of global demand, making us the world’s leading export mint. The Royal Mint has recently introduced a new fineness of Britannia bullion coins and a highly-secure on-site bullion vault storage facility, building on the bullion Sovereign’s long-standing reputation for integrity, accuracy. This positions The Royal Mint and its bullion products as a premium proposition in this marketplace. The Royal Mint has been making official military campaign medals since it was commissioned to make awards for soldiers who fought in the battle of Waterloo in 1815. The year 2012 was of particular significance for The Royal Mint’s medal-making team, with the manufacture of all 4,700 Victory Medals for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. In April 2014, The Royal Mint unveiled plans to develop a purpose-built visitor centre at its headquarters in Llantrisant, South Wales. Construction is expected to be completed during 2016.

UK Decimal Commemorative Coins - Queens Diamond Jubilee £5 Features a new portrait specially created for 2012 pays tribute to a Queen who has reigned with grace and dignity for 60 years The obverse, reminiscent of his own sculpture created for the Supreme Court building in Parliament Square, features a faithful portrait of The Queen as she is today, crowned and wearing the robes of the Order of the Garter. The reverse bears a portrait of the young Queen Elizabeth just as she appeared on her first coinage with decorative leaves reminiscent of Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee medal. In another link to the coinage of Victoria, the latin words DIRIGE DEUS GRESSUS MEOS (May God Guide My Steps) which appeared on the gold £5 coin of 1839, completes the design.

- - The London 2012 Olympic Silver Proof £5 Coin The only Official London 2012 UK coins to feature the Olympic emblem with a full colour Union flag infill Struck in sterling silver to the highest Proof standard and with a mintage of 100,000 Olympic coins this coin is sure to be one of the most popular and sought-after collectibles of London 2012. Each sparkling silver commemorative coin is handsomely presented in an attractive case specially designed with the London 2012 emblems and comes with a Certificate of Authenticity. The Olympic coin design features the London skyline and the River Thames within a central circle. Iconic buildings depicted include Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, the Gherkin, St Pauls Cathedral, the London Eye and the Tower of London, with London 2012 arching above. The outer ring of the design features pictograms representing various Olympic sports which are synonymous with the London 2012 Games. As an architecture student I wanted to include a detailed impression of Londons iconic skyline on my design, says Saiman.

The pictograms of Olympic athletes placed around the edge is like a clock face, he explains, and a reference to another London icon, Big Ben. Winning the Olympic Coin competition is a dream come true. 100,000 - The London 2012 Paralympic Silver Proof £5 Coin The Paralympic coin design by Pippa Sanderson is a modern interpretation of some of the key skills we will enjoy watching during the Paralympic Games. The top left section of the coin features an archery target representing accuracy and the words London 2012, while the top right of the design shows spoked wheels representing manoeuvrability. The bottom right section shows Big Ben representing London and the bottom left section of the coin features a stopwatch representing speed and the London 2012 Paralympic emblem. Pippa is, in her words, honoured, proud and thrilled that her design was chosen for the 2012 Paralympic Games £5 coin.

With the coin being circular, I played around with circles found in the Games, and decided on a spoked wheel for manoeuvrability, a target for accuracy and a stopwatch for speed. I split the design into these elements and added the face of Big Ben to represent London. 10,000 - Titanic 100th Anniversary 2012 Alderney Commemorative Coin As the official commemorator of major British events, The Royal Mint is proud to offer this dramatic and poignant £5 coin to mark the 100th anniversary of Titanics fateful voyage. Enduring public interest in this event makes it a superb acquisition for collectors of commemorative coins. The affordable price also makes it an excellent gift for lovers of history and a fitting memento of this emotionally charged anniversary. On 10 April 1912 RMS Titanic, the largest passenger steamship in the world, set sail from Southampton bound for New York. Tragically, after just four days, the luxury liner hit the infamous iceberg and sank, causing 1,517 souls to perish. Interest in the event and the stories of the passengers has never waned.

A century later the story still stirs us and is the subject of countless films and documentaries. The £5 Brilliant Uncirculated coin has been designed to commemorate this maritime legend. The reverse, by Royal Mint engraver Lee Robert Jones, features a highly accurate depiction of the magnificent vessel as she sails from Southampton. Behind Titanic is the silhouette of Thane the memorial statue carved by Sir Thomas Brock, which was erected in Belfast in 1920. The contrast of the proud ship sailing out to sea and the ghostly figure suggesting the fate that awaits dramatically captures the essence of the story. The obverse shows the timeless portrait of The Queen by Ian Rank-Broadley FRBS and indicates that the coin is issued under the authority of the Channel Island of Alderney. - - Remembrance Day 2012 The poppy is a symbol of remembrance across the world. Every November poppy wreaths are laid at war memorials and poppies are worn on coats, jackets and jumpers to acknowledge the on-going bravery of the Armed Forces and remember those who have died in conflict.

For those who wish to remember the fallen and support the Royal British Legion, The Royal Mint is marking this important tradition by issuing this stunning Alderney £5 coin. To reflect the beauty of the poppy, this new coin has been colour-printed using trichromatic techniques which help capture the poppys dramatic colouring. Struck to Brilliant Uncirculated quality, each coin comes in a poignant and emotive presentation folder, which explains the background to this famous tradition. A donation from each sale will be made to The Royal British Legions Poppy Appeal. - - Christening of Prince George To celebrate the arrival of Prince George of Cambridge an official coin has been released for his christening. This official christening coin has been approved by the Palace, and like the £5 coins often released for important Royal events, it is a must-have memento of a special time for the Royal family, and a special time for Britain. The coin is presented in an illustrated display folder packed with information about the christening and its traditions and the history that goes before Prince George. Who would be without their crown coin for the Silver Jubilee of Her Majesty the Queen or the marriage of The Prince of Wales and Princess Diana?

They are as much part of the celebration of Royal events as the street parties and the flag-waving crowds lining the Mall. The Royal Mint marks another important Royal moment for the nation with an official christening coin for Prince George  it is the first time a coin has ever been struck for a Royal christening. Reverse Designer - John Bergdahl Obverse Designer - Ian Rank-Broadley FRBS - - 200th Anniversary of Waterloo Two centuries on and the Battle of Waterloo still captivates. The full-blooded characters, the tactical manoeuvres and its legacy  the Waterloo Medal  all remembered with this striking £5 coin. David Lawrences design captures the accord between Wellington and Blücher, so pivotal to the victory. This coin is sure to appeal to collectors, historians or those simply wishing to learn more about this decisive battle in British, European and world history. The Battle of Waterloo was one of the most decisive battles in history; it brought over 20 years of conflict in Europe to an end, and began almost 100 years of peace. It left a legacy on the world with the striking of the Waterloo Medals beginning a tradition of honouring those involved in war.

The battle was fought between fierce enemies; an Allied force lead by The Duke of Wellington for Britain and General Blücher for Prussia, and a French Army with Napoleon at its command. All were tenacious and the battle was fought in close combat until Napoleon was defeated 200 years ago in 1815. David Lawrences design captures the handshake between a triumphant Wellington and Blücher, the spirit of camaraderie. This edition of the commemorative £5 coin celebrating the bicentenary is finished to Brilliant Uncirculated standard  superior to any circulating coin. Your purchase is supplied with an absorbing booklet that explores the battle, its great leaders, its legacy on the world  and its impact on Britains coinage. Reverse Designer - David Lawrence Obverse Designer - Ian Rank-Broadley FRBS - 50th anniversary of the death of Sir Winston Churchill A tribute to a man larger than life A half-century after the death of Winston Churchill we pay tribute with a first, to honour a man who holds an unrivalled place in history  he is the only statesman to be honoured twice on Britains coins.

The flinty gaze, the lips that spoke such stirring words are unmistakable. The unusual facing portrait fills just part of this £5 coin to reflect the true stature of this man  this artist, politician, soldier, father, mentor, writer, husband, this great citizen of the world. About the coin Sir Winston Churchill is one of historys great figures. In 2015 we pay tribute to a man who has become an icon  the first statesman ever to be commemorated twice on Britains coins. This Brilliant Uncirculated £5 coin is a classic in the making. Churchill is instantly recognisable, though his portrait exceeds the boundaries of the coin  this man was larger than life, impossible to capture in the usual confines of coin design. As a writer Churchill was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature. He was a Knight of the Garter, Companion to The Queen, and the first honorary citizen of the United States by Act of Congress. His thoughts and insights were respected both in and out of political office  this was the man who coined the term Iron Curtain and warned a world of the grip of the Cold War.

He was a brave soldier, even serving on the Western Front after vacating the prestigious post of First Lord of the Admiralty. You can explore all this and more in your specially-designed display folder  including young Winstons daring escape from captivity as a correspondent in the Boer War! Reverse Designer - Mark Richards FRBS Obverse Designer -Ian Rank-Broadley FRBS - The 150th Anniversary of the Salvation Army 2015 Alderney £5 Brilliant Uncirculated Coin Bringing hope and transforming lives Giving hope today Founded in 1865 to bring soup, soap and salvation to the destitute in Londons East End, The Salvation Army remains as committed and relevant today, fighting social injustice in whatever form it takes. Celebrate 150 years of tireless work by Salvationists past and present, bringing hope, alleviating suffering and transforming lives. Laura Clancys design perfectly captures the spirit of the charity; an elegant, affordable £5 coin to add to your collection. About the coin When William Booth witnessed desperate poverty in Victorian London, he resolved to help the most marginalised, forgotten by the rest of society.

His mission, to bring hope and salvation wherever he found despair, would require an army of volunteers and a new charitable movement was born, dedicated to alleviating suffering. Celebrate 150 years of The Salvation Army, now a global force giving hope today, an organisation which has remained relevant, fighting modern day injustice and inequality and supporting people with their own personal ordeals. Show your appreciation and support to The Salvation Army and learn more about its origins and evolution as it celebrates this remarkable milestone with the Alderney Brilliant Uncirculated £5 coin. Featuring the iconic shield emblem, Laura Clancys design perfectly captures the spirit of this remarkable institution. This coin would be a great addition to any collection, or a great way to inspire a new collector. It comes complete with a fascinating history of this worthy organisation. Founded in 1865, to bring hope to the poor in Londons East End, The Salvation Army remains as dedicated and relevant 150 years later.

From humble beginnings, it has gone from strength to strength, its volunteers and members instantly recognisable in their distinctive uniforms, an idea that originated with Elijah Cadman in 1878; a symbol of identity and of availability to those in need of help. The charity now has a presence in 126 countries, supporting vulnerable and marginalised people and empowering them to transform their lives - the unemployed, the homeless, those who are isolated and forgotten or find themselves victims of trafficking. Its only fitting that we look beyond the carols and Christmas Red Kettle Campaign and celebrate the contribution and landmark anniversary of an organisation that brings hope to so many. Laura Clancys design features the iconic shield logo, a symbol first adopted by volunteers tending to injured soldiers during The First World War. Reverse Designer Laura Clancy Obverse Designer Ian Rank-Broadley FRBS - The 1966 FIFA World Cup England 2016 Alderney £5 Brilliant Uncirculated Coin They think its all over!

It is now  Remember Englands glorious FIFA World Cup triumph, 50 years on On 11 July 1966, after six years of planning, Englands FIFA World Cup finally got underway. For the next 20 days the worlds best players including Eusebio, Pele, Beckenbauer and Moore would showcase their skills in packed stadia across the country. Each nation battled to be crowned champion and lift the famous Jules Rimet trophy. The feel good factor in the build-up reached fever pitch as Englands campaign gathered momentum, and with the extra-time 4-2 victory over West Germany, national pride soared to new heights. BBC commentator Kenneth Wolstenholmes words would become world-famous, and ever since we have hoped for a moment when we can say, They think its all over! It is now... once again. In 2016 The Royal Mint celebrates the 50th anniversary of the tournament with a £5 coin. Royal Mint coin designer Emma Nobles reverse design is inspired by the 1966 FIFA World Cup logo.

This is the only official coin struck to celebrate this sporting anniversary. It has been finished to Brilliant Uncirculated standard and is presented in a display folder for safekeeping. Produced in collaboration with The Football Association, a donation for every coin purchased will be made to the Bobby Moore fund. - Queen Elizabeth I | Facts Summary Information View articles featuring Queen Elizabeth I Queen Elizabeth I Summary Queen Elizabeth I was born to King Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn on September 7, 1533. Due to the question of the legality of the King’s annulment of his marriage to Katharine of Aragon, the birth of Elizabeth was considered illegitimate. Elizabeth’s early years were full of strife as the King worked to have Anne Boleyn and Elizabeth acknowledged, which meant that he had to strip his daughter Mary, by his Catholic wife Katharine, of her title of princess. Most of society would not acknowledge Elizabeth or her mother, which caused considerable hardships. After the death of his legally acknowledged wife, Katharine, and a series of miscarriages by Anne Boleyn, Henry VII had Anne Boleyn charged with various crimes and executed.

His next wife gave him a male heir, and Elizabeth I became part of his household as her father went through several more marriages. Under the guidance of Henry’s sixth wife, Katharine Parr, Elizabeth received a tremendous amount of education, which was quite unusual for women during that time period. After her father’s death, Elizabeth became third in line to the throne, after her ten year old half-brother Edward and her half-sister Mary; if either of them produced heirs, she became further out of line. When Edward became ill and later died, a cousin, Lady Jane Grey, took the throne; her rule lasted only nine days until Mary overthrew her. Under Mary’s rule, England was restored to Catholicism, while Elizabeth remained, inwardly at least, Protestant. In 1558, Mary died and Elizabeth became Queen. She quickly moved to restore the Church of England and soothe tensions between England and France. She was a diplomatic ruler, and England thrived throughout the better part of her reign; Elizabeth was a patron of the arts as well. Elizabeth died on March 24, 1603.

Elizabeth I: The Reality Behind the Mask By Brenda Ralph Lewis Queen Elizabeth I and her times have left behind an extraordinary image of a dazzling era of excitement and achievement, nearly superhuman heroes and daring deeds, with the Queen, larger than life, radiating inspiration at the centre of it all. When her namesake, Queen Elizabeth II, came to the throne in 1952, her subjects hoped that another ‘golden age was at hand — that the British would once again stun the world with their brilliance and panache, just as the English had done in the days of the first. The second Elizabethan age never transpired, not only because the expectation was unreasonable, but because the first age of Elizabeth never existed as it has long been perceived. The misperception was deliberately created to hide the crucial weaknesses in 16th-century England and its vulnerable Queen. The House of Tudor, of which Elizabeth became the fifth and last monarch, excelled at propaganda, and Elizabeth I needed favourable press. When she came to the throne on 17th November 1558, she quickly realized she had inherited a poor, ill-equipped country highly vulnerable to attack.

Religious upheavals over the previous 30 years had deeply divided her exhausted subjects. The Queen’s own status was just as depressing. Much of Europe regarded her as an illegitimate child of King Henry VIII and his second wife, Anne Boleyn, since the Pope had not sanctioned Henry’s divorce from his first wife, Catherine of Aragon. As a bastard, Elizabeth had no right to the English throne. Furthermore, her father’s break from the Roman Catholic Church made her anathema to Catholics both in and outside England who regarded her distant cousin, Mary, Queen of Scots, as the rightful sovereign. Especially in the early years of Elizabeth’s reign, England always faced the danger of attack from the great Roman Catholic powers, Spain and France, egged on by the Pope. Against these perils, the Queen could rely only on her own wits, her gambler’s instinct, and above all, her talent for creating a cult of personality. Elizabeth secured her position by creating a glorious public image that overwhelmed religious differences and appealed directly to English patriotism. In order to win her subjects over, she needed to be visible and, in an age of slow communications, that meant undertaking many royal progresses.

We princes, Elizabeth told the English Parliament, are set as it were upon stages in the sight and view of the world. Elizabeth’s progresses, accordingly, resembled travelling theatre, and every summer of the first 20 years of her reign saw her moving in splendid procession through the major towns and cities of England. The centrepiece was, of course, the Queen herself. A dazzling figure almost submerged in the jewels, brocade, and ornaments of her dress, she was more like a living icon than a human being. The layers of this theatrical front Elizabeth presented to the outside world have hidden the real person within from historians seeking a truer understanding of the Queen. Much about her personal as well as her public life remains mysterious, and this is probably just what she wanted. However, if she herself was the chief author of this persona, Elizabeth had backup of the highest order. Poets, playwrights, painters, the creators of water pageants and masques at court, propagandists, pamphleteers, and ballad-makers all conspired to intensify the image of Elizabeth as Gloriana, the Virgin Queen or the Faerie Queene of Edmund Spenser’s fantasy.

Artists also promoted Elizabeth in all her bejewelled glamour, surrounded by a glittering court full of lusty young men whose dauntless deeds she inspired. Through most of her life, and certainly in her early years as Queen, Elizabeth lived dangerously so that she and England could survive. England’s principal enemies, France and Spain, enjoyed far greater wealth, influence, and military might. England had little chance of resisting a direct onslaught from them. Elizabeth relied, therefore, on guile, smokescreens, and confusion. She deliberately exploited the enmity between France and Spain, hinting at aid for one against the other, never committing herself, but always holding out hope. As long as she kept her enemies guessing, she could be reasonably sure that neither would risk a war on two fronts by attacking England. Elizabeth always drew back from courses of action that might provoke her enemies. At the same time, she kept her options open and never gave in to pressure. When her reign began, for instance, Elizabeth hinted to Henri II of France that she would break with King Philip of Spain if Henri would restore Calais to England.

(Calais, a former English possession, had been taken by France in January 1558.) At the same time, she persuaded Philip that she would be willing to marry him and so ally England with Spain. As a result, Elizabeth gained compensation for Calais while Philip went on living in hope. The Queen confounded even the Pope with her wiles. He watched England closely to see whether Elizabeth would reverse the policy of her Roman Catholic half-sister and predecessor, Queen Mary I, and turn her realm into a fully Protestant state. Try as he might, though, the Pope was never able to decide whether she would or would not. On the one hand, Elizabeth kept the Catholic mass in her own private chapel and sent an ambassador to the Papal Court. On the other, the Queen and her advisors slowly steered legislation through Parliament that gave first place to the Protestant faith, with concessions to make the religious settlement palatable to Catholics. Then again, Elizabeth allowed outrageous fun to be made of the Roman church at court mummeries, where crows were dressed up as cardinals and asses as bishops.

However, she made it clear that she would force no one’s conscience to conform to the Protestant faith and make no one a martyr in the cause of religion. Elizabeth took blatant advantage of the fact that her enemies expected a woman to be indecisive. She took care, of course, to conceal the devious mind, keen political instinct, and strong urge to survive that lay at the root of her protean proceedings. All that showed on the outside was a monarch who offered hope and then backtracked, gave half a promise and then denied it. Where she could not follow such an indeterminate course, Elizabeth fell back on the royal prerogative to decide important matters unilaterally. Very often, when no safer option presented itself, that meant doing nothing. This was certainly true when it came to naming the successor to her throne. If she named a Catholic heir she would alienate her Protestant subjects — they remembered only too well the fires that had consumed those Mary had considered heretics. The other choice, a Protestant heir, would inevitably lead to the foreign invasion and conquest Elizabeth feared. She chose no one until the last possible moment, when she was dying in 1603.

A third alternative, one constantly urged on her, was for Elizabeth to marry and produce her own heir. There was no shortage of applicants — from Philip of Spain to the heir to the Swedish throne; from assorted foreign dukes and English nobles to the spectacularly squat and ugly Duc d’Alenon, whom Elizabeth called her frog. Elizabeth kept the Duke dangling for years, and he was still seriously, but hopelessly, wooing her when she was in her mid-forties. Meanwhile, of course, Elizabeth could avoid considering marriage with anyone else. Political and economic opportunism motivated many of these suits, as was common with royal unions in Elizabeth’s time. None of her suitors realized, though, that while Elizabeth kept them dangling as it suited her, she had no intention of marrying any of them. Most likely, she truly loved only one man, Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, who according to rumour almost succeeded in getting her to the altar. However, when she and Dudley were both about nine years old, she had told him she would never take a husband. This was no piece of childish melodrama. Elizabeth knew from personal experience that royal marriage was dangerous.

The marital history of her father, the six-times-married King Henry VIII, had been a nightmarish lesson. He had hounded his first wife, Catherine, to death; executed two others, including Elizabeth’s mother, Anne Boleyn; and terrorized three of the other four. Elizabeth watched from the sidelines and drew her own conclusions. After she became Queen, the dangers of marriage took on another aspect. A husband would not have occupied a secondary position, like Prince Albert, Queen Victoria’s husband, or Prince Philip, who married the second Elizabeth in 1947. At the time of Elizabeth I, the husband of a reigning Queen could claim the Crown Matrimonial and rule as King during her lifetime. In the case of a foreign husband, this meant the one thing Elizabeth’s subjects most hated: foreign influence in English affairs. If, on the other hand, she opted to marry an English noble, she would make him an overmighty subject with more power than any subject ought to possess. This situation had a particular poignancy in 16th-century England. The Tudors had claimed the throne in 1485 after the Wars of the Roses, a struggle for control that had laid waste to many an English noble.

Elizabeth would not risk a repeat performance and so resolved to keep her nobles from access to royal power. One of her most famous assertions — that she was wedded to her kingdom — was another way of saying that England was the only husband she could have who would not prove a danger to her. There were, of course, limits to just how far Elizabeth could go in masking her intentions. It was one thing to keep suitors in suspense, quite another to challenge the Spaniards in America and Europe without incurring their wrath. The Spaniards believed their American empire was God-given. Their astounding achievements in exploring, conquering, and settling this huge area brought Spain so much wealth in gold, silver, and jewels that the currency of Europe had to be revised to take account of it. Spain’s growing wealth obviously worried Elizabeth. Philip had never ruled out a war against England, and a potential flashpoint lay just across the English Channel. The Spanish Netherlands, heavily militarized by Philip, was Protestant territory and a possession as important for its own product — cloth — as the New World was for gold and silver. The Dutch sea-beggars used English harbours as havens when the Netherlands finally rebelled against its Spanish masters.

Even Elizabeth’s prevarication could not stop Philip realizing that the English sympathized with the rebels, and that English privateers had cast greedy eyes on Spanish America. Philip had initially allowed his colonies to conduct a certain amount of trade with England, but in 1567 Spain closed its American colonies to all foreigners, and the English Protestant heretics in particular. The ambitious English, however, dearly wanted to muscle in on the wealth of the New World to build up England’s resources, and if legal trade came to an end, piracy would do. In 1572, Francis Drake sailed the Atlantic to Panama, where the Spanish marshalled their treasure fleets. With characteristic daring, Drake hijacked the latest shipment and returned to England, his ships’ holds stuffed with booty. Five years later Drake carried out a thoroughgoing series of raids against several Spanish settlements and again returned home loaded with treasure. For good measure, Drake sailed round the world, the first Englishman to do so. King Philip complained about the English pirates, but Elizabeth parried the protests, claiming Drake’s activities were his own private business. Even so, when Drake returned triumphant in 1580, she went down to greet him when he stepped ashore at Deptford.

There on the quayside, with the Spanish ambassador glowering nearby, she drew a sword and knighted Drake. Thus far, Philip had been too preoccupied in Europe to consider a serious attack on England and its impudent Queen. He had contented himself with fomenting plots against Elizabeth among the English Catholics. However, incidents like the knighting of Drake, as well as the failure of the plot to unseat Elizabeth, and English interference in the Netherlands greatly raised the temperature of Anglo-Spanish rivalry. In 1587, when Mary, Queen of Scots’ involvement in the most serious conspiracy against Elizabeth resulted in her execution, the enmity escalated, and a course was set for war. However, Drake forced the Spanish to delay their attack on England by launching his most outrageous strike yet, against the Armada Philip was gathering at Cadiz. The effect was only temporary. Within a year, Philip had replaced the ships and stores. The invasion force left Spain in the early summer of 1588, bound for the Netherlands where it planned to embark a large army. The embarkation never took place.

Philip’s Armada failed, partly through the wild, destructive weather in the English Channel, partly because of the deadly firepower of the new-style English galleons. Channel storms tore at the lumbering Spanish vessels, and English guns pounded their timbers, reducing the much-vaunted Armada to a mass of wallowing, leaking hulks. The survivors did not return to Spain until the end of 1588, having sailed round the British Isles and out into the Atlantic. At least half the surviving Spanish ships wrecked or sank on the way. The news that tiny, pipsqueak England had laid low the mighty fleet and pride of Spain stunned Europe. The English felt both triumph and relief. The genius of her seamen, aided by phenomenal good luck, had saved England. But, as always where Elizabeth was concerned, it had been a very close thing. By this time, Elizabeth had been Queen of England for 30 years — a long time to wait for some security. Though the war with Spain lasted in desultory fashion for another 15 years, the worst perils Elizabeth and England would face were behind them.

When Elizabeth died in 1603, England was an expanding power with a rich and growing trade in the Netherlands, the Mediterranean, the Middle East, and even Russia. In addition, the groundwork had been laid for the first English settlement in the New World, established in Virginia in 1607. Though still early in the day, the realm Elizabeth preserved against great odds was on its way to its later status as a prime world power, while the sun of Spain was slowly sinking. This, rather than the overblown image of a celebrity Queen and her golden age, was the real source of lustre in the reign of the first Elizabeth and her country. This article was written by Brenda Ralph Lewis and originally appeared in the July 2003 issue of British Heritage. Copyright 2014 British Heritage. One Penny UK 1967 Queen Elizabeth II Coin Elizabeth II 1952?Present For the Tudors and pre-Restoration Stuarts, both left- and right-facing portrait images were minted within the reign of a single monarch (left-facing images were more common). Medieval portrait images tended to be full face.

There was a small quirk in this alternating pattern when Edward VIII ascended to the throne and was portrayed facing left, the same as his predecessor George V . This was because Edward thought that to be his best side. Many saw this break with tradition as portent of a bad reign[ citation needed ]. However, Edward VIII abdicated a short while later and his coins were never put into general circulation. When George VI came to the throne, he had his coins struck with him facing the left, as if Edward VIII's coins had faced right (as they should have done according to tradition). Thus, in a timeline of circulating British coins, George V and VI's coins both feature left-facing portraits, although they follow directly chronologically. Current circulating coinage Production and circulation All UK coins are produced by the Royal Mint . The same coinage is used across all countries of the United Kingdom ( England , Scotland , Wales and Northern Ireland ). Unlike banknotes, local issues of coins are not produced in these regions. The pound coin until 2008 has been produced in regional designs, but these circulate equally in all parts of the UK (see UK designs , below).

Every year, newly minted coins are checked for size, weight, and composition at a Trial of the Pyx . Essentially the same procedure has been used since the 13th century. Assaying is now done by the Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths on behalf of HM Treasury . As of March 2007, the total value of coinage in circulation is estimated at three and a half billion pounds, of which the ?1 and ?2 coins account for over two billion pounds. [12] The 1p and 2p coins from 1971 are the oldest standard-issue coins still in circulation. Coins from the British dependencies and territories that use the pound as their currency are sometimes found in change in other jurisdictions. Strictly they are not legal tender in the United Kingdom and tend not to be accepted by UK traders and some banks.[ citation needed ] However, since they have the same specifications as UK coins, they are sometimes tolerated in commerce, and can readily be used in vending machines. UK-issued coins are, on the other hand, generally fully accepted and freely mixed in other British dependencies and territories that use the pound.

An extensive coinage redesign was commissioned by the Royal Mint in 2005, and new designs were gradually introduced into the circulating British coinage from summer 2008. The pre-2008 coins will remain legal tender and are expected to stay in circulation for the foreseeable future. [13] UK decimal coinage history Decimalisation Since decimalisation on 15 February 1971 the pound ( symbol "?" ) has been divided into 100 pence. (Prior to decimalisation the pound was divided into 20 shillings, each of 12 (old) pence; thus there were 240 (old) pence to the pound. The value of the pound itself was unchanged by decimalisation.) The first decimal coins ? the five pence (5p) and ten pence (10p) ? were introduced in 1968 in the run-up to decimalisation in order to familiarise the public with the new system. These initially circulated alongside the pre-decimal coinage and had the same size and value as the existing one shilling and two shilling coins respectively.

The fifty pence (50p) coin followed in 1969, replacing the old ten shilling note. The remaining decimal coins ? at the time, the half penny (?p), penny (1p) and two pence (2p) ? were issued in 1971 at decimalisation. A quarter-penny coin, to be struck in aluminium , was proposed at the time decimalisation was being planned, but was never minted. The new coins were initially marked with the wording NEW PENNY (singular) or NEW PENCE (plural). The word "new" was dropped in 1982. The symbol "p" was adopted to distinguish the new pennies from the old, which used the symbol "d" (from the Latin denarius , a coin used in the Roman Empire ). Post 1982 In the years since decimalisation a number of changes have been made to the coinage. The twenty pence (20p) coin was introduced in 1982 to fill the gap between the 10p and 50p coins.

The pound coin (?1) was introduced in 1983 to replace the Bank of England ?1 banknote which was discontinued in 1984 (although the Scottish banks continued producing them for some time afterwards; the last of them, the Royal Bank of Scotland ?1 note, was still in production as of early 2006). The designs on the one pound coin change annually in a largely five-year cycle. The decimal half penny coin was demonetised in 1984 as its value was by then too small to be useful. The pre-decimal sixpence , shilling and two shilling coins, which had continued to circulate alongside the decimal coinage with values of 2?p, 5p and 10p respectively, were finally withdrawn in 1980, 1990 and 1993 respectively. In the 1990s the Royal Mint reduced the sizes of the 5p, 10p and 50p coins.

As a consequence, the oldest 5p coins in circulation date from 1990, the oldest 10p coins from 1992 and the oldest 50p coins come from 1997. Since 1997, many special commemorative designs of 50p have been issued. Some of these are found fairly frequently in circulation and some are rare. They are all legal tender. A circulating bimetallic two pound (?2) coin was introduced in 1998 (first minted in, and dated, 1997). There had previously been unimetallic commemorative ?2 coins which did not normally circulate. This tendency to use the two pound coin for commemorative issues has continued since the introduction of the bimetallic coin, and a few of the older unimetallic coins have since entered circulation. There are also commemorative issues of crowns . Before 1990 these had a face value of twenty-five pence (25p), equivalent to the five shilling crown used in pre-decimal Britain.

However, in 1990 crowns were redenominated with a face value of five pounds (?5) [14] as the previous value was considered not sufficient for such a high-status coin. The size and weight of the coin remained exactly the same. Decimal crowns are generally not found in circulation as their market value is likely to be higher than their face value, but they remain legal tender. 2008 redesign In 2008, UK coins underwent an extensive redesign, which changed the reverse designs, and some other details, of all coins except the ?2. [15] The original intention was to exclude both the ?1 and ?2 coins from the redesign because they were "relatively new additions" to the coinage, but it was later decided to include the ?1 coin. [16] This was the first wholesale change to British coinage since the first decimal coins were introduced in April 1968, [15] in keeping with an unwritten convention that the coin designs should be changed every 40 years to keep the coinage fresh.

[17] The new coins were initially to be put into circulation in early 2008, [18] although they did not actually start to appear until mid-2008. The major design feature was the introduction of a reverse design shared across six coins (1p, 2p, 5p, 10p, 20p, 50p), that can be pieced together to form an image of the Royal Shield . This was the first time a coin design had been featured across multiple coins in this way. [15] Completing the set, the new ?1 reverse features the Shield in its entirety. The effigy of the Queen, by Ian Rank-Broadley , continues to appear on the obverse of all the coins. [15] On all coins, the beading (ring of small dots) around the edge of the obverses has been removed. The obverse of the 20p coin has also been amended to incorporate the year, which had been on the reverse of the coin since its introduction in 1982 (giving rise to an unusual issue of a mule version without a date at all [17] ).

The orientation of both sides of the 50p coin has been rotated through 180 degrees, meaning the "bottom" of the coin is now a corner rather than a flat edge. The numerals showing the decimal value of each coin, previously present on all coins except ?2 and ?1, have been removed, leaving the values spelled out in words only. The redesign was the result of a competition launched by the Royal Mint in August 2005, which closed on 14 November 2005. The competition was open to the public and received over 4,000 entries. [15] The winning entry was unveiled on 2 April 2008, designed by Matthew Dent . [15] Dent's initials can be seen on the new coinage. The Royal Mint stated the new designs were "reflecting a twenty-first century Britain". [18] An advisor to the Royal Mint described the new coins as " post-modern ", something that could not have been done 50 years previously. [19] The redesign was criticised by some for having no specifically Welsh symbol (such as the Welsh Dragon ), because the Royal Shield does not include a specifically Welsh symbol.

Wrexham MP Ian Lucas , who was also campaigning to have the Welsh Dragon included on the Union Flag , called the omission "disappointing", and stated that he would be writing to the Queen to request that the Royal Standard be changed to include Wales. [20] The Royal Mint stated that "the Shield of the Royal Arms is symbolic of the whole of the United Kingdom and as such, represents Wales, Scotland, England and Northern Ireland." [20] Designer Dent stated "I am a Welshman and proud of it, but I never thought about the fact we did not have a dragon or another representation of Wales on the design because as far as I am concerned Wales is represented on the Royal Arms. This was never an issue for me." [20] The designs were also criticised for not including a portrayal of Britannia , the female personification of Britain whose image has appeared on British coinage continuously since 1672. [21] In response to the concern over the loss of Britannia, the chairman of the Royal Mint Advisory Committee stated "There are 806 million Britannias in circulation at the moment [on the old 50p coin]. They will remain in circulation.

They will see all of us out, until they die a natural death. So whatever happens, Britannia stays around". [15] The Royal Mint's choice of an inexperienced coin designer to produce the new coinage was criticised by Virginia Ironside, daughter of Christopher Ironside who designed the previous UK coins. She stated that the new designs were "totally unworkable as actual coins", due to the loss of a numerical currency identifier, and the smaller typeface used. The Royal Mint’s historic penny collection The Royal Mint’s historic penny collection 18 Sep 2014 Whether a seasoned coin collector or a youngster new to the world of collecting, historic coins hold a certain fascination - what tales do these coins tell? Whose hands have they passed through over the years? The Royal Mint’s newly released historic penny collection is likely to ignite the imagination of anyone wanting to explore the story of Britain through the reigns of monarchs from Victoria to Elizabeth, penny by penny. Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth II – both Diamond Jubilee queens – are Britain’s longest ruling sovereigns, between them reigning over Britain for more than half of the last 200 years.

This set comprises five pennies struck for circulation, bearing the portraits of Queen Victoria, Edward VII, George V, George VI and Elizabeth II, and is presented in a folder that explores their story. Queen Victoria 1837 – 1901 Victoria’s 64-year reign began with a portrait by William Wyon RA, whose beautifully flattering ‘Young Head’ remained on copper coins until 1860. With copper being replaced by bronze that year, a new portrait – affectionately known as the ‘Bun Head’ – was prepared by Leonard Charles Wyon, son of William. A third portrait would appear on bronze coins from 1895, the ‘Old Head’ by Thomas Brock RA. Edward VII 1901 – 1910 Edward VII was the first and only British king of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha – the family name inherited from his father, Albert, Prince Consort. Edward succeeded to the throne on the death of his mother at the age of 59, having been heir apparent for longer than anyone else in British history until Prince Charles took that title in 2011. The elegant coinage portrait of the king was created by George William de Saulles.

George V 1910 – 1936 George V carved out a Naval career until the death of his elder brother, Prince Albert. In the First World War George V changed the family name by Royal Proclamation, choosing instead Windsor, for the castle that still provides home and haven for the Royal Family. His portrait was created by Australian sculptor Bertram Mackennal, a highly regarded artist and a favourite of the king. Edward VIII 1936. The absent penny As his Coronation approached Edward VIII selected a flattering portrait by Humphrey Paget, insisting on his better profile being captured for posterity and so facing in the same direction as his father – against centuries of tradition whereby succeeding monarchs face in opposite directions. During his short reign coins were never released into circulation, but rare pattern pieces are held by The Royal Mint Museum. George VI 1936 – 1952 Unlike his elder brother, George would not bow to vanity when it came to his coinage. The king faces to the left, choosing to acknowledge the reign of Edward VIII, but acting as if Edward had complied with convention on his coinage portrait.

George VI is uncrowned, the portrait by Humphrey Paget simple, balanced, technically near-perfect and somehow reassuring. Elizabeth II 1952 – present As the young Queen took her throne her first coins were important to mark a new era, and continuing tradition. Sculptor Mary Gillick portrayed Elizabeth as youthful and fresh, wearing a wreath of laurel. Since her portrait there have been three standard coinage effigies – by Arnold Machin RA in 1968, Raphael Maklouf in 1985 and the current portrait by Ian Rank-Broadley FRBS since 1998, which has taken her beyond a Diamond Jubilee. Britannia Britannia first appeared on coins in Roman times, coming to symbolise Britain and her values. It is Britannia that unites the pennies in this set, for she has appeared on the coins of every monarch since she was reintroduced to the coinage in 1672 under Charles II.

Shane Bissett, The Royal Mint’s Director of Commemorative Coin said “Britain’s smallest denomination circulating coin is regarded as a cornerstone of our coinage, and still has the ability to charm – the ‘lucky’ penny is thought to bring luck to its recipients even today. “This intriguing set is a great way of tracking the story of Britain through coins, and would be a wonderful introduction to the world of coins for any budding collector”. Newsletter Join our mailing list to receive regular updates about new coins, special offers and general news Need a little help finding what you want? About Us

Question: Which way is it likely that the head of the successor of Queen Elizabeth II will face on a British coin?
Answer: Left