New bullion coins will feature the Queen's Beasts

Gold and silver coins celebrating the Queen's Beasts are to go on sale to investors, the Royal Mint has announced.

The new bullion coin series is inspired by 10 creatures that have featured throughout hundreds of years of British royal heraldry, the Mint said.

Inspiration for the series was taken from the Queen's Beasts sculptures, each standing at around two metres (6ft 7in) tall, originally created by James Woodford for the Queen's coronation ceremony held in Westminster Abbey in 1953.

The heraldic creatures symbolised the various strands of royal ancestry. Each beast was inspired by the King's Beasts of Henry VIII that still line the bridge over the moat at Hampton Court Palace.

The Mint's new coin series will be introduced a "beast" at a time, starting with the Lion of England, by coin designer Jody Clark.

The lion will feature on a one ounce fine gold bullion coin, a quarter ounce fine gold bullion coin and a two ounce fine silver bullion coin.

With the price of precious metals fluctuating, their exact cost will depend on when they are bought.

But based on current metal prices, the one ounce gold coin could cost around £900, for example.

The Queen's Beasts can now be found at the Canadian Museum of History in Quebec, while Portland stone replicas, also carved by Woodford, watch over Kew Gardens in London.

Mr Clark said: "The lion in my design takes a rampant stance, the most fierce. I researched imagery of lions in the wild to make sure that mine had a true likeness to the creature's character, but I was careful that it wasn't too realistic. In this context the lion is a 'beast' and I wanted it to feel fantastical, so when it came to areas like the eyes I kept them blank.

"Adding too much detail softened the look and I think this way there is still a sense of sculpture reflecting the originals."

The Queen's Beasts bullion coins will be available in the UK from www.royalmintbullion.com, with investors now able to register their interest on the website. The coins will also available for purchase via the Royal Mint's global wholesale distributor A-Mark.