Capital Cities Of The UK £1 One Pound Silver Proof 4 Coin Set
Item History & Price
| Reference Number: Avaluer:38518002 | Certification: Uncertified |
Capital Cities of the UK £1 One Pound Silver Proof 4 Coin Set
Belfast
Belfast used a coat of arms on its seal as early as 1643, but it was not until 1890 that the arms were granted officially. The shield of the coat of arms provides an appropriate reverse for the new £1 coin representing Northern Ireland in the City Series.
London
There is currently no single heraldic emblem for London in the normal sense so the coat of arms chosen for the reverse of the Londo...n £1 coin belongs to the Corporation of the City of London – the ‘Square Mile’ presided over by the Lord Mayor of London.
The red cross and upright red sword in the top left quarter, is usually explained as combining the symbol of the City’s patron saint, St Paul, with that of England’s, the red cross of St George. The motto of the arms, DOMINE DIRIGE NOS, can be translated as ‘Lord, direct us’ and provides the edge inscription for the London £1 coin
Cardiff
Cardiff had long made unofficial use of the arms of the medieval lords of the area before it was granted city status on 28 October 1905. Its Coat of Arms was granted in 1906, although the city was not proclaimed capital of Wales until 20 December 1955.
The design of the shield is described as: Argent on a mount vert growing therefrom a leek proper a dragon rampant gules supporting a banner gules charged with three chevrons argent.
It is not surprising that the fiery red dragon should feature so prominently in the City’s Coat of Arms since it has been recognised as the emblem of Wales for well over 1, 000 years. It was a symbol favoured by the historic Welsh leaders and also by the Welshman Henry Tudur who claimed descent from Cadwaladr, the great Welsh King traditionally called ‘the last King of Britain’. The leek, too, is an historic symbol of Wales, having played a vital role in the battle of Heathfield in 633 AD when it was used to distinguish friend from foe. The motto of the City’s arms, Y DDRAIG GOCH DDYRY CYCHWYN, has been chosen as the edge inscription and can be translated as ‘the red dragon shall lead’.
Edinburgh
The city of Edinburgh was properly granted its Coat of Arms on 21 April 1732 by the heraldic authority for Scotland, Lyon King of Arms.
The shield can be blazoned or described as follows:
‘Argent a castle triple-towered and embattled sable masoned of the first topped with three fans gules windows and portcullis shut of the last situate on a rock proper.’
The ‘castle triple-towered’ evidently represents Edinburgh’s magnificent castle which sits on the summit of the volcanic rock towering some 260 ft (80m) above its city. A stronghold and seat of royalty since the Middle Ages, it is visible for tens of miles in every direction. The motto of the city’s arms NISI DOMINUS FRUSTRA, taken from the Latin version of Psalm 127:1 and translated as ‘it is vain without the Lord’, provides a pleasing edge inscription for the £1 coin
Belfast
Belfast used a coat of arms on its seal as early as 1643, but it was not until 1890 that the arms were granted officially. The shield of the coat of arms provides an appropriate reverse for the new £1 coin representing Northern Ireland in the City Series.
London
There is currently no single heraldic emblem for London in the normal sense so the coat of arms chosen for the reverse of the Londo...n £1 coin belongs to the Corporation of the City of London – the ‘Square Mile’ presided over by the Lord Mayor of London.
The red cross and upright red sword in the top left quarter, is usually explained as combining the symbol of the City’s patron saint, St Paul, with that of England’s, the red cross of St George. The motto of the arms, DOMINE DIRIGE NOS, can be translated as ‘Lord, direct us’ and provides the edge inscription for the London £1 coin
Cardiff
Cardiff had long made unofficial use of the arms of the medieval lords of the area before it was granted city status on 28 October 1905. Its Coat of Arms was granted in 1906, although the city was not proclaimed capital of Wales until 20 December 1955.
The design of the shield is described as: Argent on a mount vert growing therefrom a leek proper a dragon rampant gules supporting a banner gules charged with three chevrons argent.
It is not surprising that the fiery red dragon should feature so prominently in the City’s Coat of Arms since it has been recognised as the emblem of Wales for well over 1, 000 years. It was a symbol favoured by the historic Welsh leaders and also by the Welshman Henry Tudur who claimed descent from Cadwaladr, the great Welsh King traditionally called ‘the last King of Britain’. The leek, too, is an historic symbol of Wales, having played a vital role in the battle of Heathfield in 633 AD when it was used to distinguish friend from foe. The motto of the City’s arms, Y DDRAIG GOCH DDYRY CYCHWYN, has been chosen as the edge inscription and can be translated as ‘the red dragon shall lead’.
Edinburgh
The city of Edinburgh was properly granted its Coat of Arms on 21 April 1732 by the heraldic authority for Scotland, Lyon King of Arms.
The shield can be blazoned or described as follows:
‘Argent a castle triple-towered and embattled sable masoned of the first topped with three fans gules windows and portcullis shut of the last situate on a rock proper.’
The ‘castle triple-towered’ evidently represents Edinburgh’s magnificent castle which sits on the summit of the volcanic rock towering some 260 ft (80m) above its city. A stronghold and seat of royalty since the Middle Ages, it is visible for tens of miles in every direction. The motto of the city’s arms NISI DOMINUS FRUSTRA, taken from the Latin version of Psalm 127:1 and translated as ‘it is vain without the Lord’, provides a pleasing edge inscription for the £1 coin
