United Kingdom (Great Britain) Elizabeth II 10 Pence

History

10 Pence 2011-2015, KM# 1110d, United Kingdom (Great Britain), Elizabeth II

10 Pence 2011-2015, KM# 1110d, United Kingdom (Great Britain), Elizabeth II, Royal Shield reverse designs

Obverse. Photo © NumisCorner.com

Description

The circulating UK coins, excepting the two-pound coin, were redesigned in 2008, keeping the sizes and compositions unchanged, but introducing reverse designs that each depict a part of the Royal Shield of Arms and form (most of) the whole shield when they are placed together in the appropriate arrangement. The exception, the 2008 one-pound coin, depicts the entire shield of arms on the reverse.

A competition to design the reverse of the coinage was held in 2005 with the winner, Matthew Dent, 26, from North Wales, announced in 2008 and awarded £35,000.

The issue date for nickel-plated steel 5 and 10 pence pieces was originally intended to be January 2011, however, this was deferred to January 2012 to allow additional time for automatic vending machines to be updated to accept the coins. As a result, the 2011 dated 5 and 10 pence pieces were issued into circulation in 2012 instead.

Obverse	Crown, jewelry Girls of Great Britain and Ireland Tiara Person (king, queen, tsar etc.) Elisabeth of Belgium Fourth crowned portrait of HM Queen Elizabeth II facing right, wearing the Girls of Great Britain and Ireland tiara. The Girls of Great Britain and Ireland tiara was a wedding present in 1947 from her grandmother, Queen Mary, who received it as a gift from the Girls of Great Britain and Ireland in 1893 on the occasion of her marriage to the Duke of York, later George V. Made by E. Wolfe & Co., it was purchased from Garrard & Co. by a committee organised by Lady Eve Greville. In 1914, Mary adapted the tiara to take 13 diamonds in place of the large oriental pearls surmounting the tiara. At first, Elizabeth wore the tiara without its base and pearls but the base was reattached in 1969. The Girls of Great Britain and Ireland Tiara is one of Elizabeth's most recognisable pieces of jewellery due to its widespread use on British banknotes and coinage. ELIZABETH II DEI GRATIA REGINA FIDEI DEFENSATRIX means Elizabeth II, by the grace of God, Queen and Defender of the Faith. Engraver: Ian Rank-Broadley ELIZABETH·II·D·G REG·F·D·2011 IRB
Reverse	Animal (fish, bird, mammal etc.) Lion Depicts most of the first quarter of the shield, containing the three lions passant of England. Engraver: Matthew Dent TEN PENCE MD
Edge	Reeded (milled)