2021 2oz Silver Coin, White Greyhound of Richmond, Queen's Beast

This beautiful 2021 two ounce silver coin featuring the White Greyhound of Richmond is the tenth, and final, coin in the popular "Queen's Beasts" series from the Royal Mint. These coins are based on the ten statues which stood guard outside Westminster Abbey for the Queen's Coronation in 1953. They were originally sculpted by J.Woodford RA in 1953 and represent the various houses in the Queen's ancestry.

The White Greyhound comes to the Queen as the badge of John of Gaunt, the Duke of Lancaster and Earl of Richmond, who was the father of Henry IV. It represents honour and has associations with the north of England and with the Celtic Britons. As in the original statue, the greyhound bears a shield with the Tudor Rose ensigned by a Royal Crown. 

The Queen's Beasts statues are still standing, but are currently housed at the Canadian Museum of History in Quebec. Stone replicas can be found at Kew Gardens.

The coin contains two ounce of fine silver with a nominal value of £5. Just like other British currency, this coin is exempt from Capital Gains Tax. Like all coins in this series, both the obverse and reverse are designed by the Royal Mint's Jody Clark.

Learn more about the Royal Mint Queen's Beast series, including previous releases.