The Royal Mint Great Engravers Series – Complete Guide
The Royal Mint’s Great Engravers series is one of the most significant modern numismatic programmes ever produced in the United Kingdom. Launched in 2019, the series revives historic masterpiece designs created by Britain’s greatest coin engravers and reissues them in contemporary proof formats struck in gold and silver.
Unlike commemorative series based purely on theme, Great Engravers is rooted in historic numismatic art. Each release celebrates a specific engraver and one of their most iconic works, faithfully remastered using modern minting techniques.
1. Una and the Lion (2019)
Engraver honoured: William Wyon
The inaugural release in the series reintroduced Wyon’s legendary Una and the Lion design, originally created for the 1839 Five Pound piece of Queen Victoria.
Primary proof formats and official maximum mintages:
- 2oz Silver Proof – 3,000
- 2oz Gold Proof – 225
Originally created for the 1839 Five Pound piece during Queen Victoria’s reign, William Wyon’s Una and the Lion design is widely regarded as one of the most beautiful coins ever struck by The Royal Mint. The design draws inspiration from Edmund Spenser’s epic poem The Faerie Queene, depicting Victoria as the allegorical figure Una guiding the British Lion. The original 1839 issue was struck in extremely limited numbers, making surviving examples highly valuable today. Its revival in the Great Engravers series marked a deliberate decision by The Royal Mint to begin the programme with arguably the most iconic design in British numismatic history.
This release established the tone for the entire series and sold out rapidly, setting the benchmark for future Great Engravers issues.
2. The Three Graces (2020)
Engraver honoured: William Wyon
Following Una, The Royal Mint revived Wyon’s 1817 Three Graces pattern design, one of the most admired motifs in British coinage.
Primary proof formats and official maximum mintages:
- 2oz Silver Proof – 3,500
- 2oz Gold Proof – 325
The Three Graces design originates from an 1817 pattern crown engraved by William Wyon early in his career. The motif features the three classical daughters of Zeus – Euphrosyne, Thalia and Aglaea – representing joy, abundance and beauty. The original pattern coin was never adopted for circulation and survives in very small numbers, making it one of the most admired British patterns of the 19th century. Its intricate flowing drapery and symmetrical composition demonstrate Wyon’s neoclassical artistic influence and cemented his reputation as one of Britain’s greatest engravers.
The Three Graces release confirmed the series as a long-term programme rather than a single tribute.
3. Gothic Crown – Portrait (2022)
Engraver honoured: William Wyon
The first part of the Gothic Crown revival focused on Queen Victoria’s portrait from the 1847 Gothic Crown.
Primary proof formats and official maximum mintages:
- 2oz Silver Proof – 3,750
- 2oz Gold Proof – 350
The portrait used for the Gothic Crown revival is taken from the 1847 Gothic Crown, a coin often described as the most beautiful silver crown ever produced. Wyon’s youthful portrait of Queen Victoria is rendered in a distinctive medieval Gothic style, departing from classical simplicity in favour of elaborate detail and script. The original 1847 crown was struck only in proof and is now considered one of the key rarities of Victorian numismatics. Its reappearance in the Great Engravers series allowed collectors to appreciate the depth and complexity of the Gothic aesthetic using modern proof striking techniques.
4. Gothic Crown – Quartered Arms (2022)
Engraver honoured: William Wyon
The second Gothic Crown release featured the intricate quartered arms reverse, completing the pair.
Primary proof formats and official maximum mintages:
- 2oz Silver Proof – 3,750
- 2oz Gold Proof – 350
The reverse of the 1847 Gothic Crown features a highly detailed quartered shield of arms surrounded by Gothic lettering and ornate decorative elements. This design showcases Wyon’s technical precision, with deeply engraved heraldic devices representing England, Scotland and Ireland. The balance between symmetry and intricacy makes the Gothic Crown reverse one of the most admired heraldic compositions ever seen on a British coin. In modern proof format, the contrast between frosted devices and mirrored fields enhances the architectural character of the original design.
Together, the Gothic Crown coins form one of the most technically detailed modern proof releases produced by The Royal Mint.
5. Petition Crown (2023)
Engraver honoured: Thomas Simon
Inspired by Simon’s famous 1663 Petition Crown pattern, this release marked the first Great Engravers issue celebrating a Restoration-era engraver.
Primary proof formats and official maximum mintages:
- 2oz Silver Proof (Pair) – 3,250
- 2oz Gold Proof (Pair) – 300
Issued as a two-coin set featuring both obverse and reverse, the Petition Crown expanded the scope of the series beyond 19th-century designs.
The Petition Crown of 1663 is one of the most famous pattern coins in British history. Engraved by Thomas Simon, it was created as a direct appeal to King Charles II after Simon lost the position of Chief Engraver to the Roettiers brothers. Around the rim of the original coin, Simon inscribed a petition requesting the King to compare his work to that of his rivals. The extraordinary edge lettering and fine portrait detail make the original Petition Crown one of the rarest and most celebrated coins of the 17th century. Its inclusion in the Great Engravers series broadened the programme beyond Victorian artistry and into Restoration-era craftsmanship.
6. St George and the Dragon (2024)
Engraver honoured: Benedetto Pistrucci
One of the most recognisable designs in British numismatics, Pistrucci’s St George and the Dragon was reinterpreted as a standalone Great Engravers proof release.
Primary proof formats and official maximum mintages:
- 2oz Silver Proof – 2,950
- 2oz Gold Proof – 195
This is the first Great Engravers coin to feature a fully frosted matt finish.
Benedetto Pistrucci’s St George and the Dragon design first appeared on the modern sovereign in 1817 and has since become one of the most recognisable coin designs in the world. The dynamic composition depicts Saint George on horseback defeating the dragon, symbolising the triumph of good over evil. Pistrucci’s classical training is evident in the anatomical precision of the horse and the dramatic movement within the scene. By elevating this sovereign reverse to crown-scale proof format within the Great Engravers series, The Royal Mint effectively re-presented Britain’s most enduring coin design as a standalone work of art.
This issue bridged historic crown-scale artistry with the sovereign design lineage.
7. Waterloo Medal – Allied Leaders (2024)
Engraver honoured: Benedetto Pistrucci
The first release in the Waterloo Medal pair focuses on the depiction of the Allied leaders, inspired by Pistrucci’s monumental Waterloo Medal design. This side celebrates the coalition commanders who defeated Napoleon at the Battle of Waterloo.
Primary proof formats and official maximum mintages:
- 2oz Silver Proof – 2,950
- 2oz Gold Proof – 195
The Waterloo Medal was originally commissioned in 1819 to commemorate the defeat of Napoleon at the Battle of Waterloo. Although the full medal was never widely distributed during Pistrucci’s lifetime due to production delays, it remains one of the most ambitious medallic projects ever undertaken by The Royal Mint. The Allied Leaders side features finely engraved portraits representing the coalition powers. Its adaptation into a modern proof coin required significant technical refinement to preserve the depth of the original medal design within a smaller diameter format.
This release marked the beginning of the Waterloo tribute within the Great Engravers programme and demonstrated The Royal Mint’s ability to reinterpret large-scale medallic art in crown-sized proof form.
8. Waterloo Medal – Victory (2025)
Engraver honoured: Benedetto Pistrucci
The second coin in the pair features the classical allegorical scene of Victory, completing Pistrucci’s Waterloo composition. Together, the two releases form a modern interpretation of one of the most ambitious medal designs ever created by The Royal Mint.
Primary proof formats and official maximum mintages:
- 2oz Silver Proof – 2,950
- 2oz Gold Proof – 195
The Victory side of Pistrucci’s Waterloo Medal presents a dramatic classical allegory celebrating triumph and peace following conflict. The composition reflects the influence of Greco-Roman sculpture, a hallmark of Pistrucci’s engraving style. When reissued as part of the Great Engravers series, the Victory design completed the two-coin narrative begun with the Allied Leaders release, allowing collectors to own both halves of one of the most historically significant medal designs in British history.
Issued as companion pieces, the Allied Leaders and Victory coins represent the most historically narrative-driven chapter of the Great Engravers series to date.
9. William IV Crown – Merlen Shield (2026)
Engraver honoured: Jean Baptiste Merlen
The latest addition to the series revives the 1831 William IV Crown featuring Merlen’s shield design. This marks the first time Merlen’s work has been headlined in the programme.
Primary proof formats and official maximum mintages:
- 2oz Silver Proof – 3,000
- 2oz Gold Proof – 150
In addition to the standard proof releases, The Royal Mint also issued a 2oz Gold Matte Proof version of the William IV Crown – Merlen Shield as a Mint Marque exclusive. With a maximum mintage of just 60 pieces, this edition is significantly scarcer than the standard proof and stands as one of the rarest modern Great Engravers gold issues to date.
Jean Baptiste Merlen served as Chief Engraver at The Royal Mint in the early 19th century and was responsible for several distinctive shield designs during the reign of William IV. The 1831 Crown reverse features a bold crowned shield of arms with refined heraldic structure, differing stylistically from Wyon’s later Gothic interpretations. The revival of the Merlen Shield within the Great Engravers programme highlights an often overlooked chapter of Royal Mint engraving history and expands the series beyond its previous focus on Wyon and Pistrucci.
The Merlen Shield continues the progression of the series from Wyon through Simon and Pistrucci, expanding the historical depth of the collection.
Why the Great Engravers Series Matters
- Each coin is rooted in historic British numismatic art.
- Strict maximum mintages create defined scarcity.
- The programme spans multiple centuries of engraving history.
- Proof quality striking ensures exceptional detail.
- All issues are UK legal tender.
From Una and the Lion to the 2026 William IV Crown, the Great Engravers series has become one of the defining modern British coin collections.
