Royalty
Portraits of a Queen – the changing face of Britain’s coinage
Discover a little of the history behind the Queen’s effigy and vote for your favourite portrait.
As well as the 60th Coronation Anniversary, 2013 marks the 60th Anniversary of the Queen’s coinage.
The first Queen Elizabeth II coins were struck in 1953 and since then four different effigies adorned our coins.
1953 – 1967: Mary Gillick
The first coins of Queen Elizabeth’s reign bore Mary Gillick’s portrait of the young Queen, engraved especially for the new coins.
Her uncrowned portrait of the Queen is still used on the Maundy Money distributed each year by Her Majesty.
1968 – 1984: Arnold Machin RA
With the upcoming decimilisation, it was decided to refresh the Queen’s portrait with Arnold Machin’s new sculpture of the Queen. Commissioned in 1964, it first appeared in 1968 on the new 5p and 10p coins. A version of the design with tiara was also introduced on stamps in 1967 and remains to this day.
1985 – 1997: Raphael Maklouf
In creating his new effigy of Her Majesty, Raphael Maklouf aimed “to create a symbol, regal and ageless”.
His “couped” portrait depicts Queen Elizabeth II wearing the royal diadem favoured by her on the way to and from the State Opening of Parliament.
1998 – current: Ian Rank-Broadley FRBS
The current Queen’s head on our coinage was designed in 1997 by Ian Rank-Broadley. Created to fill the full circle of the coin, its larger size was a deliberate response to the smaller 5p and 10p coins in circulation. A noticeably more mature portrayal of Her Majesty, Rank-Broadley aimed to show the Queen with “poise and bearing”.
You can own all four Portraits on original UK Crowns.
Click here for more info about the Portraits of the Queen 4-coin set
Which is your favourite portrait of the Queen?
I recently reported that Royal Mail had revealed six of the best painted portraits from the Queen’s sixty-year reign as part of its new ‘Six Decades of Royal Portraits’ issue. A fitting tribute to the Queen as patron of the Royal Society of Portrait Painters, sixty years after her Coronation.
The six included an early 1953 Coronation portrait plus the first one ever commissioned by Royal Mail. But which one gets your royal seal of approval? Here’s a brief reminder of all the contenders:
The Coronation portrait – by official Coronation artist Terence Cuneo 
whose portrait depicts a young, newly-crowned Queen.
The Italian job – still the most iconic portrait of her reign? Fifty-seven years on, Pietro Annigoni’s portrayal continues to court controversy.
Chelsea pensioners’ portrait – Andrew Festing’s 1999 portrait, painted for the Royal Hospital Chelsea, home of the famous pensioners, where it still hangs today.
The new Millennium portrait – unveiled by the Queen herself in 2000, Sergei Pavlenko’s portrait is said to be the Queen’s favourite but is it yours?
The first forty years – displayed at the National Portrait Gallery from 1992, Richard Stone’s portrait now hangs in the more modest setting of Colchester town hall.
The Royal Mail world-exclusive – painted over three sittings by Nicky Philipps at Buckingham Palace at the end of her Diamond Jubilee year, 2012.
Vote now!
I know which is my favourite but which one’s yours?
New Portrait of the Queen revealed by Royal Mail
Royal Mail’s first ever commissioned portrait of the Queen by Nicky Philipps
Royal Mail has unveiled its first ever commissioned portrait of Queen Elizabeth II to coincide with her 87th birthday yesterday. The new portrait by Nicky Philipps will be the centrepiece of a special 6-value stamp issue, ‘Six decades of Royal Portraits’ featuring the finest painted portraits of the Queen from the last sixty years.
A world-first for Royal Mail
Celebrated portrait artist Nicky Philipps was chosen for Royal Mail’s first ever commission after consultation with the National Portrait Gallery.
This isn’t the first time the artist has painted Royalty – in 2010, Nicky painted the first ever double portrait of Princes William and Harry. She also painted the Duchess of Cambridge last year. The new portrait, featuring the Queen in her Garter robes, was painted over three sittings at Buckingham Palace during the autumn of 2012.
Six of the best
The 1st class stamp featuring the new portrait of the Queen will be issued, along with five other Coronation Anniversary painted portrait stamps, on 30th May to mark this year’s 60th anniversary of her Coronation.
2nd class stamp
Terence Cuneo was the official artist for the Queen’s Coronation in 1953. It proved to be a highlight of his career, bringing his work to the forefront of the public’s attention. The Queen is wearing the Imperial State Crown in this portrait.
78p stamp
One of two life-size portraits of the Queen by Andrew Festing painted in 1999 for the Royal Hospital in Chelsea where it still hangs today. It depicts the Queen wearing robes for the State Opening of Parliament and the Diadem Crown.
88p stamp
This romantic portrayal of the young Elizabeth taken in 1956 earned Italian portrait and fresco painter Pietro Annigoni huge international acclaim on its release. It remains arguably the most iconic portrait of the Queen’s reign.
£1.28 stamp
Taken from the 8ft tall ceremonial portrait by Sergei Pavlenko in 2000 depicting the Queen in her Garter robes. The portrait was personally unveiled by the Queen herself and is reported to be her favourite since the Coronation.
£1.88 stamp
This 1992 painting by Richard Stone involved seven one-hour sittings with the Queen at Buckingham Palace. Unveiled at the National Portrait Gallery in 1992 to mark 40 years since her accession, it currently hangs in the Town Hall of the artist’s home town of Colchester.