2023 The Royal Tudor Beasts The Yale of Beaufort Quarter-Ounce Gold Proof Coin NGC PF70 Ultra Cameo

This coin forms part of The Royal Mint's Royal Tudor Beasts collection, inspired by the ten stone heraldic creatures that have guarded the Moat Bridge at Hampton Court Palace since the reign of Henry VIII — each chosen for its fearsome appearance and its role in legitimising the Tudor dynasty. The Yale of Beaufort is one of the strangest and most striking of the ten: a mythical creature with the spotted body of a goat or antelope, a lion's tail, boar-like tusks, and curling horns said in legend to rotate independently of one another.

The Yale was closely associated with the powerful Beaufort family and, in particular, Lady Margaret Beaufort, mother of King Henry VII — making this beast a direct symbol of the Tudor dynasty's own claim to the throne. Illustrator and sculptor David Lawrence's design shows the Yale beside a shield bearing the arms of Jane Seymour, chained at the fetlock, rendered in a style that balances naturalistic detail with the stylised heraldic tradition the original Tudor carvings were drawn from. Lawrence has spoken about the challenge of the series, noting that the Tudors themselves were often drawing beasts "they had never before seen, basing their interpretations off reports or word-of-mouth" — a spirit of imaginative reconstruction this design deliberately channels.

The obverse carries Jody Clark's fifth definitive portrait of Queen Elizabeth II.

Graded NGC PF70 Ultra Cameo — the maximum attainable grade, reflecting a flawless strike with no imperfections under magnification and strong cameo contrast between the frosted devices and mirrored fields. Against a maximum mintage of 760, only 11 examples have been certified at this top grade, making it an exceptionally difficult coin to source.

Coin Highlights

• Part of The Royal Mint's Royal Tudor Beasts series, inspired by the heraldic beasts of Hampton Court Palace
• The Yale of Beaufort: a mythical creature with independently rotating horns, closely linked to Lady Margaret Beaufort, mother of Henry VII
• Reverse design by David Lawrence, shown beside a shield bearing the arms of Jane Seymour
• Obverse: Jody Clark's fifth definitive portrait of Queen Elizabeth II
• Struck in 999.9 fine gold (24 carat) to proof finish by The Royal Mint
• Maximum mintage of 760 coins
• Certified NGC PF70 Ultra Cameo — with only 11 examples graded at this level
• Encapsulated in a tamper-evident NGC holder for authenticity and protection

Specifications

Why This Coin Stands Out

Against an already modest mintage of 760, a population of just 11 at PF70 Ultra Cameo puts this coin among the scarcest top-graded pieces in the entire Royal Tudor Beasts series. Combined with a genuinely unusual, richly symbolic design and a maximum technical grade, this is a strong pick for collectors of the series or anyone drawn to Tudor heraldry.

As UK legal tender gold, this coin is exempt from Capital Gains Tax for UK residents and free from VAT under current investment gold rules. Browse our full range of graded gold Sovereigns to explore more rare and top-graded commemorative gold.