UK: flora on modern circulation coins

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UK, 3 pence, 1936.

This 3 pence type circulated from 1927 to 1936.

Its reverse design features three oak leaves and three acorns.

They come from an English oak (Quercus robur).

It is also known as a pedunculate oak.


The English oak (Quercus robur) is the national tree of England.

The sessile oak (Quercus petraea) is the national tree of Wales.

It is also the national tree of Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.

The Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) is Scotland's national tree.

See:  English and Sessile Oak.

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UK, 3 pence, 1927.

This 6 pence type circulated from 1927 to 1936.

Its reverse design features six oak leaves and six acorns.

See:  50 fish on 50 cents: Denomination reflected in design

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UK, 2 shillings, 1944.

This design circulated throughout the reign of George VI.

IND IMP was removed after India became independent of the UK.


Here you see stylised versions of the floral symbols of the UK.

The symbols represent three of the four nations of the UK.


The Tudor rose is for England.

The thistle is for Scotland.

The shamrock is for Northern Ireland.

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UK, 6 pence, 1953.

This design circulated throughout the first years of the reign of Elizabeth II.

Here you see the symbols of the four nations.

This time a Welsh leek has been added.

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UK, 2 shillings pence, 1965.

This design circulated throughout the first years of the reign of Elizabeth II.

Here you see the symbols of all the four nations.

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UK, 5 pence, 1968.

The Scottish thistle appeared on the first decimal 5 pence.

The thistle design was removed from the coin after 2008.

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UK, 20 pence, 1982.

The 20 pence coin was introduced in 1982.

The reverse design featured a Tudor rose for England.

The Tudor rose design was removed from the coin after 2008.

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UK, round pound coins.

The decimal UK round pound coin was introduced in 1983.

It showed a different national design each year.

This series appeared in the 1980s and 1990s.


At bottom left you see the design for Northern Ireland.

It shows a flax plant.

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UK, round pound coins, 2013 and 2014.

Top left: flax and shamrock, 2014.

Top right: leek and daffodil, 2013.


Bottom left: oak sprig and Tudor rose, 2013.

Bottom right: thistle and bluebell, 2014.

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UK, 12-sided bimetallic pound, 2017.

The old round pound became heavily counterfeited.

A new and more secure pound coin was issued from 2015 onward.

This coin showed four national floral symbols on the reverse.


No national variations have been issued for this coin.

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UK, 50 pence, 2022.

In October 2022 the UK issued the first coin with the new King's portrait.

It was a circulating commemorative 50 pence.

It commemorated the life and legacy of the late Queen.




UK, 50 pence, 2022: reverse design.

The reverse of the coin featured a familiar design.

It came from the late Queen's coronation commemorative 5 shillings coin.


That coin had been issued in 1953.

Floral symbols of the four nations appeared on the reverse.

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Reverse of the 5 pence coin of 2023.

Image © Royal Mint (UK).

In 2023 a new standard circulation design series was issued for the new king.

The reverse design of the 5 pence coin features an oak tree sprig with acorns.

It is reminiscent of the 3 pence and 6 pence coins of 1927 to 1936.

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Reverse of the 2 pound coin of 2023.

Image © Royal Mint (UK).

The reverse design of the 2 pound coin represents the UK's four nations.

It is reminiscent of the 1 pound coin design of 2016 to 2022.

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These floral designs are considered semi-heraldic or heraldic.

But are they really heraldic at all?


They began appearing from 1927 onward.

Probably they looked quite modern at the time.


Now they are decades old and are considered rather old-fashioned.

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And this


2016 UK: The Last Round Pound Round £1 Coin - Mintage: TBC