Royalty
Royal Seal of Approval: What is a Great Seal?
What are the Great Seals of the Realm?
Since the reign of Edward the Confessor in the eleventh century, the Great Seals of the Realm have been used in Britain to symbolise the official will and authority of the monarch.
Referred to as the ‘clavis regni,’ or ‘key of government,’ they are such critical tools of state that historically, counterfeiting them was deemed high treason, punishable by death.
Their role has remained virtually unchanged for the past 1,000 years – still used in the twenty-first century as they were in the eleventh. All important state documents have to include a seal as the physical mark of royal ratification.
Every monarch has had their own unique seal – with some even having multiple if they ruled for many years. This is because of the composition of a Great Seal.
And The Royal Mint have brought this historic tradition to life with a brand-new recreation of Henry VIII’s seal. You can secure it now in Proof or Silver quality by clicking here, or read on to learn more…
How a Great Seal is Made
Consisting of a pair of silver moulds, or matrices, into which the monarch’s design has been engraved. Cakes of softened wax or more recently of a plastic compound are placed alongside a set of ribbon or cord in between the matrices and when pressure is applied, an impression of the design is made on both sides. The Great Seal can then be attached to the important state document using the loose end of the ribbons or cord. You can see this in the image below.
Warwickshire County Record Office reference CR341/2
So, from this process you can imagine that during a long reign the silver matrices would become worn until they could no longer be used. Only one Great Seal is to be in use at a time, therefore the old one is ceremonially defaced and presented by the monarch to the Lord Chancellor.
Interesting Fact
During the 63-year reign of Queen Victoria, four Great Seals were created.
What was the Lord Chancellor’s role?
Traditionally, the Lord Chancellor has been the custodian of the Great Seal. This is because the office originated as secretary to the Monarch, responsible for supervising, preparing and dispatching the Monarchs letters. This meant that they had the use of the Sovereign’s seal, which soon became the symbol of the office.
Each Great Seal is kept in a richly decorated purse, and it was customary to present a new purse each year.
Interesting Fact
Lord Eldon, during the early nineteenth century, received so many of the elaborately decorated purses that his wife was able to turn them into bed hangings.
How the Great Seal has adapted to modern times
Due to the expansion of the UK government’s dealings over time, the amount of wax used to make the Great Seals each month reached a peak of 50 kilogrammes. This resulted in The Crown Office Act of 1887. The act declared that many of the documents once passed under the seal would now be ratified with a new device called the Wafer Seal.
This device has the obverse design of the Great Seal and makes an impression on paper, which can be on the document itself or on a separate wafer. The traditional version of the Great Seal made of wax or plastic compound is now reserved for documents deemed to be of the utmost importance such as treaties with foreign governments.
Interesting Fact
Queen Elizabeth II had two seals during her reign – the first came into service in 1953 and lasted all the way to 2001, when the new seal was produced.
Royal Mint Release
The Great Seals fascinating history is incredibly tied with our monarchy and democracy – a true representation of our constitutional monarchy.
The brand-new Royal Mint release is a stunning embodiment of this century old tradition.
Remastered from specimens held in The Royal Mint Museum’s collection, you have the opportunity to own a high-quality recreation of Henry VIII’s Great Seal. One of the most notorious monarchs in British history.
The official Royal Mint packaging ties in perfectly, with the ‘cords’ featured that are involved in the production and attaching of the Great Seal to the state document – as well as exploring Henry VIII’s unique royal seal and its historical significance.
Click here to explore the range today >>
The Evolution of UK Banknotes: From Paper to Precision
The history of banknotes in the United Kingdom is a fascinating journey of innovation, security, and tradition. From the earliest issues to the forthcoming King Charles III banknotes, each phase reflects the technological and cultural shifts of its time.
A Brief History of UK Banknotes
The Bank of England began issuing banknotes shortly after its establishment in 1694. Initially, these notes were handwritten, a far cry from the highly sophisticated currency we use today. By the mid-18th century, partially printed notes were introduced, with the denomination and other details filled in by hand.
Source: Bank of England website
https://www.bankofengland.co.uk/museum/online-collections/blog/our-earliest-bank-of-england-note
The 19th century brought significant changes with fully printed notes and the introduction of standardized designs to prevent forgery. A pivotal moment in the history of UK banknotes came in 1960 when Queen Elizabeth II became the first monarch to be featured on the Bank of England notes. Her portrait on the £1 note marked the beginning of a tradition of depicting reigning monarchs on the nation’s currency, providing a sense of continuity and national identity.
Security Features: From Simplicity to Sophistication
As technology advanced, so did the sophistication of banknote security features. Early notes relied heavily on the quality of the paper and intricate designs to deter counterfeiters. However, as counterfeiting techniques improved, so too did the security measures.
Modern UK banknotes are a marvel of technology and design. Click on the dots below to explore the key security features:
Introducing the King Charles III Banknotes
In a historic move, the Bank of England is set to release the new King Charles III banknotes on June 5th, 2024. This marks the first time in over 70 years that a new monarch’s portrait will grace the currency, following the reign of Queen Elizabeth II.
The King Charles III banknotes will continue to feature the same high-security features of their predecessors and the new banknotes will initially be available in £5, £10, £20, and £50 denominations. They will circulate alongside the existing Queen Elizabeth II notes, gradually phasing out the older series as they wear out.
Introducing the DateStamp™ Set: Connecting the Past and Present
To commemorate this historic transition, we are excited to introduce an exclusive DateStamp™ set that brings together the past and the present of UK currency. This unique collection features the Queen Elizabeth II £5 and £10 banknotes alongside the brand new King Charles III £5 and £10 banknotes, each postmarked on the official issue date, 5th June, 2024.
You can now be one of just 2,024 collectors to own this special set.
Click here now to pre-order yours before the official release >>
Why these are the most historic moments of the past year…
The first year of a new monarch’s reign is almost always the most important. It’s the one that sets the tone for their chapter in our history.
And as King Charles stepped into the shoes he was born to fill, certain moments from the past year captured the tone for the New Carolean Age brilliantly, with a mutual respect for tradition and adaptation to the modern world.
Indeed, these traditional roles of the King are so ingrained in our history that five new 50p coins have been issued with authorisation from King Charles III himself to mark the first time that each role has been carried out by King Charles.
Let’s take a look at what they are and why they’ve become so integral to British identity…
The Royal Maundy Service – 6th April 2023
This is an annual service held in the Church of England on Maundy Thursday, ahead of the Easter weekend. During the service the British monarch distributes small silver coins known as ‘Maundy money’ as symbolic alms to elderly recipients.
On 6th April 2023, in the beautiful York Minster, the King gave 74 men and 74 women two small purses each – one red and one white – each containing Maundy money.
Importantly, the number of recipients and the value of the coins within the white purse reflects the King’s age. While the red purse held two commemorative coins, one issued to mark his 75th birthday and one to mark the 75th anniversary of the Windrush Generation.
The Coronation – 6th May 2023
Now, we’ll all remember where we were on 6th May 2023, as the nation came together to witness the first Coronation in 70 years, with 20 million of us watching the live TV broadcast.
The crowning of a King or Queen is an ancient ceremony, rich in religious significance, history and pageantry.
A Coronation Liturgy (or Order of Service) was authorised by the Archbishop of Canterbury and produced in close consultation with the King and the UK Government and comprised both traditional and completely new elements.
Trooping the Colour – 17th June 2023
Trooping the Colour is a ceremonial event performed every year on Horse Guards Parade in London by regiments of the Household Division, to celebrate the official birthday of the British Sovereign. This ancient ceremony has occurred since 1748 and is the highlight of the military ceremonial calendar.
King Charles III led the way on horseback with Prince William, Princess Anne and Prince Edward also on horseback behind him.
The colour trooped in 2023 was that of The Welsh Guards for the first time in 30 years.
The Garter Service – 19th June 2023
In medieval times, King Edward III was so inspired by tales of King Arthur and the chivalry of the Knights of the Round Table that he set up his own group of honourable knights, called the Order of the Garter.
Today, the Order includes The King, several senior members of the Royal Family, and twenty-four knights, chosen in recognition of their work. In 2023 two new members of the Order of the Garter were appointed by the King – Chris Patten, the final governor of Hong Kong, and former Labour minister Catherine Ashton.
Every June, a grand procession of the knights takes place at Windsor Castle, accompanied by a marching band and Officers of the Order, all in grand ceremonial dress.
The State Opening of Parliament – 7th November 2023
“His Majesty’s most gracious speech to both Houses of Parliament” marks the beginning of a new parliamentary year.
The speech sets out the programme of legislation that the Government intend to pursue in the forthcoming parliamentary session.
Importantly, the 2023 State Opening of Parliament was held much later in the year than usual due to the Coronation in May.
These moments will go down in history as the first in the reign of King Charles III, and the most important British traditions upheld in 2023.
That’s why all 5 moments have been immortalised further on five official 50p coins which will remain highly collectable long after this chapter in our history is closed.
Click here to shop the King Charles III Inaugural Year Range
