1 oz Queen's Beasts Silver Bar

The Royal Mint Queen's Beasts in Bar Form

The 1 oz Queen's Beasts silver bar from The Royal Mint brings the heraldic beast theme of the celebrated Queen's Beasts coin series into a bar format. The original coin series ran from 2016 to 2021, comprising ten designs plus a Completer Coin, each depicting one of the heraldic beasts represented as six-foot plaster statues at Queen Elizabeth II's coronation in 1953. All ten coins were designed by Jody Clark, the Royal Mint engraver who also created the fifth definitive coinage portrait of the Queen.

The coin series was notable for introducing the 2 oz silver bullion coin to the UK market, a format that had not previously been offered by The Royal Mint. The bar format offers the Queen's Beasts theme in a 1 oz size, providing an alternative for buyers who prefer bars or who want a lower entry point than the 2 oz coin.

As a Royal Mint product, the bar carries the weight of Britain's oldest manufacturer (operating since 886 AD) and its reputation for quality. The .999 fine silver content meets international investment-grade standards. Since the coin series concluded in 2021, both coins and bars are now available only on the secondary market. The fixed supply has pushed premiums on some early-year coin designs higher, particularly the Lion of England (the first release from 2016).

The Queen's Beasts theme has been succeeded by the Tudor Beasts series (2022-2026), which follows a similar format with ten heraldic beasts from Tudor history. Buyers drawn to the heraldic aesthetic have both completed and ongoing Royal Mint series to choose from.

Queen's Beasts Silver Bar Specifications

Queen's Beasts Coin Series Reference

Each beast in the coin series traced Queen Elizabeth II's ancestry through heraldic symbols, from the Lion of England (royal arms, traced to Richard I) through the White Greyhound of Richmond (badge of Henry VII). All coin versions were designed by Jody Clark, with a guilloche patterned background added from 2018 onward as an anti-counterfeiting measure. The coin series was produced in gold (.9999 fine), silver (.9999 fine), and platinum (.9995 fine), with the 2 oz silver being the standard silver denomination.

Tax Treatment for a Royal Mint Silver Bar

The Queen's Beasts bar is produced by The Royal Mint but is a bar, not a coin. This distinction matters for UK tax treatment, as only coins with a sterling face value qualify for CGT exemption.

United Kingdom

Silver bars carry 20% VAT on purchase. The bar has no face value and is not legal tender, so it is subject to Capital Gains Tax on disposal at the individual's rate (18% or 24%), with a £3,000 annual exemption. This contrasts with the Queen's Beasts coins, which carry GBP face values and are therefore CGT-exempt as UK legal tender. For UK buyers who prioritise tax efficiency, the coins are the better format despite typically carrying higher premiums.

United States

No federal sales tax. Most states exempt investment silver. The .999 purity meets IRS requirements for precious metals IRAs. Capital gains taxed at the collectibles rate of up to 28%.

Canada

GST/HST exempt for silver at .999 purity. Capital gains taxed at a 50% inclusion rate.

European Union

Silver bars subject to local VAT rates (17% to 27%). Margin scheme available in some countries for pre-owned silver. Gold Queen's Beasts coins appear on the EU's annual Gold Coins List for VAT exemption, but this does not extend to silver bars.

Australia and New Zealand

GST-free in Australia for silver at 99.9% purity. GST-exempt in New Zealand. No CGT in New Zealand. Australian CGT applies with a 50% discount after 12 months.

Singapore and Hong Kong

Singapore exempts silver bars at 99.9% purity from GST. Hong Kong has no sales tax or capital gains tax.

Queen's Beasts Bar vs Queen's Beasts Coins

The most direct comparison is between the bar and the coin series. The Queen's Beasts coins carry UK legal tender status with GBP face values, making them CGT-exempt in the UK. The bar does not. For UK buyers, this is the decisive factor: the coin's CGT exemption can save thousands of pounds on a large gain, which more than compensates for any premium difference. The standard silver coin denomination was 2 oz at .9999 purity, so the 1 oz bar represents a different weight class.

Queen's Beasts vs Tudor Beasts

The Tudor Beasts series (2022-2026) is the thematic successor to the Queen's Beasts. It follows the same format: ten heraldic beasts designed by a Royal Mint engraver, produced in gold and silver as legal tender coins. Tudor Beasts coins are still in production, so they are available at standard bullion premiums rather than the secondary-market premiums now attached to some Queen's Beasts designs. For buyers who want a current Royal Mint heraldic series rather than a completed one, Tudor Beasts is the natural choice.

Queen's Beasts Bar vs Other 1oz Silver Bars

Compared to generic silver bars, the Queen's Beasts bar carries a premium for the Royal Mint name and the heraldic design. Against Swiss bars from PAMP or Valcambi, the Queen's Beasts bar offers a different aesthetic and provenance. PAMP and Valcambi bars carry LBMA accreditation and sealed assay cards with serial numbers, which provide stronger authentication for the secondary market. The Royal Mint's reputation provides comparable trust, though through institutional backing rather than individual bar traceability.

For buyers accumulating silver at the lowest possible premium, generic bars remain more cost-efficient. The Queen's Beasts bar is for buyers who want the Royal Mint brand and the heraldic design alongside their silver content.