UK Maundy money and the Gillick Effigy

[<k>]

Queen Elizabeth II acceded to the throne on 6 February 1952. Since then, five different effigies of the Queen have appeared on the standard UK coinage. Mary Gillick designed the first of these effigies, which appeared on the predecimal coins from 1953. The Gillick effigy is still used, however, on the Maundy Money that the Queen distributes every year on Maundy Thursday. According to documents held at the National Archives, Kew, the decimalisation of the coinage in 1971 almost banished this curious relic from our Maundy money.

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The 163rd meeting of the Royal Mint Advisory Committee was held on 3 June 1970. Prince Philip was President of the Committee at that time. The minutes of that meeting were presented at the 164th RMAC meeting, held on 10 November 1970, and they state:

The Committee were informed that from 1971 Maundy coins would be denominated in new pennies instead of pennies. This did not entail any change in the designs since the values were expressed by numerals only, but the Queen had agreed that in common with other decimal coins the Maundy should in future bear the Royal effigy by Mr. Arnold Machin instead of the effigy by Mrs. Mary Gillick. Since the Maundy reverses featured the date, this raised the small problem of whether to remove the date from the Machin obverse used on other denominations. Two pairs of sketches were submitted for the Committee's consideration. In the first [FIGURE A] the existing Machin obverse was combined with the existing Maundy reverse, modified to omit the date. In the second [FIGURE B], the existing Maundy reverse was combined, unchanged, with the standard Machin obverse, modified to omit the date and to expand to "REGINA" the abbreviation "REG". The Committee preferred the second of these options but thought it would be a matter for regret if the admirable Gillick effigy were to disappear from the coinage. The President asked that a further submission be made to the Queen, proposing the retention of the Gillick effigy on Maundy coins.

The Queen's agreement was received on 28 January 1971 and, to this day, alone of all the UK's coins, the Maundy money still carries the Gillick effigy.


Figure A.


Figure B.

Images are copyright of the Royal Mint (UK).

[<k>]

Images are copyright of the Royal Mint (UK).

[Figleaf]

Interesting story and fine research. Thank you.

I am mystified  by The Committee (...) thought it would be a matter for regret if the admirable Gillick effigy were to disappear from the coinage, though. Yes, nice design, but better than any other portrait? The Abilene paradox in action, maybe?

Peter

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The Gillick effigy was still in circulation in 1970. A tendency exists for some people to cling to what they know. Look at the furore among some when Britannia was retired from the coinage in 2008. The predecimal six pence coin was even kept into 1979.

In fact, the shilling and 2 shilling coins circulated as 5 and 10 pence coins in the UK until the early 1990s, and they both featured the Gillick effigy.

[<k>]

Image copyright the Royal Mint Museum.

Cecil Thomas designed the portrait above of Queen Elizabeth II in 1952.

Unfortunately his portrait was not adopted for the coinage.

I find it to be superior to Mary Gillick's issued portrait, which included an anachronistic laurel wreath.

[Figleaf]

All true (I just note that Georgian shillings and florins were also in circulation after decimalisation) but that confuses public sentiment with government policy. That policy is clear: Gillick to be replaced by Machin on decimal coins. Public sentiment is also clear. No change, no decimalisation.

The function of the committee is to carry out government policy.

Peter

[<k>]

Most people never see Maundy money, of course. It was a very special case.

Elsewhere, I have argued that the co-circulating shilling and 2 shilling coins should have been withdrawn by 1974 at the latest - three years after decimalisation. Some disagreed, however, notably our forum member FosseWay.

[Offa]

The sixpence was in circulation until the late 70's

[Henk]

Elsewhere, I have argued that the co-circulating shilling and 2 shilling coins should have been withdrawn by 1974 at the latest - three years after decimalisation. Some disagreed, however, notably our forum member FosseWay.

These pre decimal coins had the same value, size and metal as the decimal coins. If they were to have been withdrawn how would this be done? By inspection of each coin? Quite a job and what would be the advantage in relation to the cost involved. Quite a sensible decision to keep them in circulation.

[<k>]

In proportion to the decimal coins, there were fewer predecimal coins with each passing year. Divided among all the bank and post office branches, the job would have been achieved relatively quickly.

See: How long should the shilling and florin have circulated after decimalisation ?.