1 oz Royal Arms of England Silver Coin

The Medieval Plantagenet Shield in .999 Silver

The 1 oz Scottsdale Mint Royal Arms of England silver coin is a 2018 release struck by Scottsdale Mint under licence from the Government of Gibraltar, featuring King Richard I's heraldic shield with the iconic three lions passant guardant. Legal tender in Gibraltar with a face value of £1 GBP, it celebrates the establishment of the first Royal Arms of England in the late 12th century, when Richard the Lionheart added the third lion to earlier designs, creating an arrangement that endured as one of the most recognised heraldic symbols in the world for over 800 years.

The design is deliberately distinct from the Royal Mint's own "Royal Arms" bullion coin, which features the full modern quartered arms with lion and unicorn supporters. The Scottsdale version focuses solely on the medieval Plantagenet shield, surrounded by decorative vines and roses symbolising the Tudor succession. The obverse carries the Raphael Maklouf portrait of Queen Elizabeth II (the 1984 third-generation British effigy) with a distinctive leopard-spot pattern struck into the field around the portrait.

With a silver mintage of 50,000 (and just 5,000 for the gold version), the Royal Arms of England sits between mass-market sovereign bullion and limited-edition commemoratives. The 2018 silver release was reported as a quick sell-out at the mint. Multiple coloured variants were produced in extremely limited quantities (99–500 pieces each), commanding significant secondary market premiums. Despite the name referencing "England," the coin is issued by Gibraltar, a British Overseas Territory, rather than by England or the UK proper.

Royal Arms of England Technical Details

Coloured Variants

Limited-edition coloured versions were produced with reverse-proof colour finishes in both metals:

• Silver colour coins: Blue, Purple, Yellow, Red, Black variants at 500 mintage each (39 mm)
• Gold colour coins: Blue and Black variants at 99–500 mintage each (32 mm)

The coloured variants, particularly the 99-mintage gold versions, have become sought-after on the secondary market. Standard issues carry no additional anti-counterfeiting features beyond standard minting quality and the reeded edge.

Gibraltar Legal Tender: Tax Implications

The Royal Arms of England is legal tender in Gibraltar (a British Overseas Territory) at a face value of £1 GBP. Gibraltar is not part of the UK for VAT or tax purposes, which creates an important distinction for UK buyers.

In the United Kingdom, the coin is not CGT-exempt. Only coins issued by the Royal Mint as UK legal tender (Sovereigns, Britannias, and other Royal Mint coins with UK face values) qualify for Capital Gains Tax exemption. Gibraltar legal tender does not share this status. Gains on disposal are taxed at the individual's marginal CGT rate (18% basic, 24% higher) above the £3,000 annual allowance. Silver versions carry 20% VAT on purchase. The gold version qualifies as VAT-exempt investment gold under the retained EU directive (meeting the criteria of legal tender, post-1800, 900+ purity).

For US buyers, Gibraltar coins from a recognised government meet the sovereign-issued criterion. The .999 silver purity meets the IRA threshold of 99.9%. State sales tax treatment varies; approximately 35 states exempt bullion entirely. Scottsdale Mint's US base means strong domestic availability.

Canadian GST/HST exemption applies to precious metals at 99.9%+ purity. Australian GST exemption covers investment-grade silver at 99.9%+. Singapore's IPM scheme and Hong Kong's zero-tax regime apply as with other qualifying silver coins. In the EU, gold versions may qualify for VAT exemption; silver is subject to local rates.

Scottsdale's Gibraltar Issue vs the Royal Mint's Royal Arms

The most relevant comparison for UK buyers is the Royal Mint's own Royal Arms bullion coin. The Royal Mint version features the full modern quartered arms (England's three lions and Scotland's lion rampant on alternating quarters, with Ireland's harp) supported by the lion and unicorn. It is UK legal tender with CGT exemption, unlimited mintage, and the full four-feature Britannia-class security suite. For pure investment efficiency in the UK, the Royal Mint version is superior on tax treatment alone.

The Scottsdale version offers a different proposition: the medieval Plantagenet shield is visually distinctive, the 50,000 mintage creates relative scarcity, and Scottsdale's reputation for high-quality striking is evident. For collectors interested in the medieval origins of English heraldry specifically (rather than the modern quartered arms), the Scottsdale coin is the only option in bullion format. The leopard-spot background on the obverse is a design flourish not seen on mainstream bullion coins.

Against other Gibraltar-issued coins (which are common in the numismatic market, with various private mints using Gibraltar's licensing authority), the Royal Arms of England stands on Scottsdale's production quality and the enduring appeal of the three-lion motif. The series was announced as multi-year but no subsequent releases have been confirmed beyond 2018, making the single release potentially a one-off rather than an ongoing series.