Coin collectors looking to complete a four-part floral emblem £1 coin set will definitely want to have this coin as part of their collection. The Oak Tree £1 coins are the last in a 4-part series of coins that represented portions of the UK with a floral emblem design on the reverse of the coin.
Let’s look at what else makes this coin such a great choice for collectors.
How Many Oak Tree £1 Coins Are There?
The Oak Tree £1 coin represents England. It was released in 1987 and again in 1992 with the same oak tree and royal diadem design on the reverse.
The 1987 version minted 39,298,502.
The 1992 version minted 36,320,487.
Additionally, brilliant uncirculated coins in sets, specimen-grade coins in a presentation folder, and proofs were issued. The design was also re-issued in 2008 as a collector coin in silver and gold as part of a 14-coin commemorative set marking the 25tth anniversary of the £1 coin.
How Much Is The Oak Tree £1 Coin Worth?
As with any coin, the Oak Tree £1 Coin’s worth is somewhat determined by which year the coin was minted. Additionally, the condition the coin is in plays a large and important role in calculating its worth.
Expect to find the Oak Tree round pound coins selling as follows, according to the most recent sold values on eBay.
1987 Oak Tree £1 = estimated value of £2.43.
1992 Oak Tree £1 = estimated value of £2.41
You can check out the Royal Mint’s online store if you want to browse uncirculated coins.
Oak Tree Coin Design And History Of The £1 Coin
The Oak Tree £1 coin is part of the £1 round coins that were issued each year with a special reverse design to represent an emblem of the UK, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, or England. The 1987 and 1992 reverse coin design represents England.
England was represented on the £1 round coin again in 1997 and 2002, but this time the reverse featured a Three Lions design. In 2007 England was represented once again featuring the Millennium Bridge. In 2010 England was featured with a Coat of arms of the City of London. The oak tree made its appearance again on a £1 coin to represent England in 2013, but this time it would appear as a Rose and Oak. England has not been represented on the coin since the £1 coin changed to be a 12-sided, bi-metallic coin in 2017, and the original round pound coins were demonetized.
The reverse of both the 1987 and 1992 Oak Tree £1 coin features an image of the oak tree to represent England. The oak tree is sending roots out underneath the royal diadem which encircles the tree trunk and blooming forth through the top. Under the image are the words denoting the coin, ONE POUND. All around the image along the outer rim are raised beaded dots. The initials of the designer do not appear to be present in the design.
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”, a quote from Virgil’s Aeneid. These words are also sometimes translated to mean “Glory and Defense”.
The Oak Tree £1 coin is 22.50 millimeters in diameter weighing 9.50 grams in Nickel-brass. The round pound is 3.15 mm thick with a milled edge and inscription.
History Of The Round Pound
The original £1 coin was designed and put into circulation to replace the Bank of England £1 note which was issued until the end of 1984 and removed from circulation in 1988.
Both of the Oak Tree coins were part of the round £1 coins which are a denomination of the pound sterling. The coin is made in Nickel-brass. Starting in 2015, the coin became a bi-metallic, 12-sided coin that is more difficult to counterfeit.
Milled Edge
The edge of the coin was milled with ridges and an incuse inscription in an effort to keep clippers at bay. Clipping was an illegal practice done by some in the 17th and 18th centuries when they would shave off a small portion of the edge of a coin. When they got enough gold shaved, or clipped, they would melt the shavings down to counterfeit their own coins or sell the weight in gold. The milled edge and inscription made it easy to determine if a coin had been clipped. If the inscription was shaved off, the coin was rendered useless and the perpetrator could suffer the penalty of death.
Obverse
The obverse of both the 1987 and 1992 Oak Tree coin features the portrait of Queen Elizabeth II as designed by Raphael Maklouf. Maklouf’s version of the Queen is one in which she wears the George IV State Diadem, officially the Diamond Diadem. The Diamond Diadem was made in 1820 for King George IV.
The inscription surrounding her portrait reads ELIZABETH II D.G. REG.F.D. followed by the minting year of either 1987 or 1992, depending on which issue of the Oak Tree £1 coin you have. Translated, the inscription means Elizabeth II Dei Gratia Regina, by the grace of God, Queen, Defender of the Faith.
The designer added his initials to the very bottom left-hand corner of the Queen’s portrait. Look at her neck truncation to find the letters RDM , the initials of Raphael Maklouf.
Design Of The Oak Tree £1 Coin
The design on both the 1987 and the 1992 Oak Tree coin represents England. The design is the last in a series of four floral emblems-themed £1 coins that represent the United Kingdom and its four constituent countries of which England is one. These representative £1 floral emblem coins were designed by a highly-regarded silversmith named Leslie Durbin.
Leslie Durbin designed four images for the £1 coin that appeared on the reverse of the coin from 1984 to 1987. The designs represent the four constituent parts of the United Kingdom showing each of the floral emblems encircled by the Royal Diadem.
The Oak Tree £1 coin is the last in his series of designs that started in 1984 to represent Scotland with a Thistle, followed by the Leek of 1985 that represented Wales, the 1986 design represented Northern Ireland, and the fourth in the series of floral emblem designed coins was in 1987 with the Oak Tree coin which represented England.
The four-part floral emblem series was released again starting in 1989 of which, the Oak Tree was once again be featured with the same design on a coin issued in 1992.
The oak tree is representative of England. The royal diadem represents an emblem of regal power or dignity.
England Oak Tree and the Coin Design Meaning
England is one of the four parts of the United Kingdom. The oak tree has long been associated with England.
The oak tree in England represents its national symbol of strength. The oak tree is often associated with honour nobility, and wisdom as well as longevity. The oak represents all that is true, wholesome, stable, and noble.
It dates back to rituals practised by Druids and is also associated with royalty. Ancient kings and Roman Emperors wore crowns of oak leaves.
When Leslie Durbin chose the oak tree to be featured on the £1 coin to represent England, he decided to show the tree with its roots intact and flourishing branches and leaves shooting forth through the top of the royal diadem.
Oak Tree Round Pound Coin Designer
Leslie Durbin designed the four-part series of £1 coins that would represent four parts of the United Kingdom of which England was the last featured. Durbin was a silversmith whose commissions included the special hallmark for Her Majesty’s Silver Jubilee.
He prepared four designs to appear on the reverse of the £1 coin between 1984 and 1987. The designs on these special coins represent the four constituent parts of the United Kingdom. Durbin chose to unify the series by designing a floral emblem on each with each of the coins appearing encircled by the royal diadem. The top of the plant was flourishing with roots intact coming out from the bottom of the royal diadem image.
The Royal Diadem is the crown worn by Her Majesty to and from the State Opening of Parliament.
Where Can You Buy The Oak Tree £1 Coin?
Going online to sites like eBay is a fast and easy way to find coins to buy or sell. As always, with any online shopping, do your own research first, so you know what to look for.
