Add a special design of a very rare and valuable round pound coin to your collection. The 1988 Royal Shield Gorringe £1 coin is the only Derek Gorringe design on the round pound. But, that’s not the only thing that makes it worth collecting.
How Much Is The 1988 Royal Shield Gorringe £1 Coin Worth?
The 1988 Royal Shield Gorringe £1 coin has an estimated value of £2.30, according to past sold values on eBay.
Keep in mind that, as with any coin, its worth is somewhat determined by the condition the coin is in.
There were 7,118,825 1988 £1 Gorringe coins minted.
Design Of The 1988 Royal Shield Gorringe £1 Coin
The coin is part of the £1 round coins that were issued from 1983 to 2016. The reverse design changed each year to reflect a design that represented the United Kingdom or one of its four parts, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, or England. The 1988 Royal Shield Gorringe coin represented the United Kingdom.
The 1988 Royal Shield Gorringe £1 coin was part of the round £1 coins. The British £1 coin is a denomination of the pound sterling. The original £1 coin replaced the Bank of England £1 note that was no longer issued after 1984 but was not removed from circulation until March 11, 1988.
The £1 coin is 22.50 millimetres in diameter and weighs 9.50 grams in Nickel-brass alloy with a thickness of 3.15 mm. The metal was copper and zinc. The £1 Round series of coins were the only UK coin to have this very recognizable, specific yellow colour.
After 2017, the older round pound coins could only be redeemed at some banks and were no longer considered legal tender. For a limited time, some retailers would also accept them. Today, coin collectors enjoy finding a rare round pound that was never turned in to be melted down.
The edge of the coin is milled with an inscription and a small crosslet as a mint mark that represents Llantrisant in South Wales where the Royal Mint has been based since 1968. The Llantrisant stands for the Parish of the Three Saints.
The edge of the £1 coin is a milled edge that includes the inscription to read DECUS ET TUTAMEN. Translated, this means “An ornament and a safeguard.” These words are thought to be taken from Virgil’s Aeneid. The words are also sometimes translated to mean, “Glory and Defense”.
The milled edge with an inscription was used in an attempt to protect the coins from debasement by clippers. Clipping was done by some by shaving off small bits of gold from the coins. Once the clippers had enough shavings to melt, they would often use the shavings for counterfeiting. The milled edge and incuse lettering made it obvious that a coin was clipped.
In 2017, the Round Pound changed to be a 12-sided, bi-metallic coin that was almost impossible to counterfeit. From this point on, the reverse always represented the United Kingdom.
The obverse of the 1988 coin features the portrait of Queen Elizabeth II as designed by Raphael Maklouf. His design features the Queen wearing the George IV State Diadem, officially the Diamond Diadem. Her crown was made in 1820 for King George IV.
The inscription surrounding Her Majesty’s portrait reads ELIZABETH II D.G. REG.F.D. followed by the minting year of 1988. Translated, the inscription means Elizabeth II Dei Gratia Regina, by the grace of God, Queen, Defender of the Faith.
The designer’s initials RDM can be found at the very bottom left-hand corner of the Queen’s portrait, in the neck truncation.
What Does The Coin Represent?
Derek Gorringe designed the 1988 £1 coin to represent the United Kingdom. His image pictures the Crown over the Royal Coat of Arms Shield. The Gorringe design is unique in that he chose to display the shield of the Royal Arms only and not the entire Arms that would have included the lion and unicorn on either side.
The 1988 Gorringe coin design differs from the other shield designs also because Gorringe chose to place a crown on top of the shield. A later design of the shield only was done by Matthew Dent, but that image was not crowned.
Gorringe’s Royal Arms design features one of the nation’s noblest heraldic emblems. He pictures the Royal Arms of Her Majesty The Queen, surmounted by the Crown of St. Edward. He chose to feature the Shield of the Royal Arms only and not the entire Arms image.
The coin reverse pictures the four-sectioned shield with images that represent Scotland, Ireland, and England.
- In two sections, the first and fourth, are the three lions passant gardant which represents England.
- In the second quarter is the Lion Rampant within a double tressure flory-counter-flory, which represents Scotland.
- In the third quarter is a Harp, or stringed Argent to represent Ireland.
The designer chose to place a crown on top of the shield. The words ONE POUND are centred toward the bottom. The entire image is surrounded by a rim of raised beaded dots that run along the outer ring.
This 1988 Royal Shield Gorringe £1 Coin represents the United Kingdom.
While the 1988 Gorringe design representing the UK is unique, the United Kingdom was also represented on additional round pounds as follows:
1983, 1993, 1998, 2003, and 2008 Royal Arms designed by Eric Sewell
2008-2016 Shield of the Royal Arms designed by Matthew Dent
2015 Royal Arms designed by Timothy Noad
2016 Last Round Pound designed by Gregory Cameron
The United Kingdom has been represented on the reverse of all the newly designed 12-sided bi-metallic £1 coins since the dodecagon coin was designed in 2016. The newer coins feature the Nations of the Crown design that was first launched in March 2017, designed by David Pearce.
Coin Designer
Derek C. Gorringe designed the Royal Shield that took on his name. He was a senior member of the Royal Mint’s engraving department. The coin featured the Royal Arms of Her Majesty The Queen, surmounted by the Crown of St. Edward.
Besides the 1988 £1 coin, he also designed a coin that commemorates the seizure of power by Samuel Doe and his People’s Redemption Council that shows a military memorial.
He also designed the 10th anniversary 1991 Falkland Islands £2 and the coin celebrating the 10th wedding anniversary of Prince Charles and Diana, Princess of Wales.
Additionally, he designed a Bermuda 1 dollar coin showing a dinghy that was taken from a sketch by Eldon Trimingham. Also, he produced an FAO-themed design of a snake and a bird for a 1990, 50 Dobras coin.
Where Can You Buy The 1988 Royal Shield Gorringe Coin?
Since the coins are no longer considered legal tender, collectors are often able to find these coins online. Sites like eBay offer a quick and easy way to find coins. Just make sure you do your homework first, so you are sure of exactly what you are buying. The exact price of any coin you locate online is going to depend partially on what condition the coin is in.
If you’re in the market for an uncirculated coin the Royal Mint is the best place to shop.