1 Shilling - Elizabeth II Scottish shield with 'BRITT:OMN' (1953)

About the 1953 1 Shilling - Elizabeth II Scottish shield – with 'BRITT:OMN'

The 1953 1 Shilling - Elizabeth II Scottish shield – with 'BRITT:OMN' is a circulating 1 shilling coin, struck in copper-nickel (75% Cu, 25% Ni). It weighs 5.66g and measures 23.5mm across. Reverse design: Crowned Scottish shield of arms dividing date, legend above, denomination below.

20,663,528 were struck. It is no longer legal tender (withdrawn 1990), so its value is to collectors only.

Common questions

History and design

Since George VI the shilling had been struck each year in two versions, one with English and one with Scottish arms. Coins of the UK points out that they were not kept to their own countries but circulated equally together. When the new reign's coinage was prepared, the Royal Mint chose fresh reverses for both shillings from almost 300 designs submitted by around 70 artists.

This is the Scottish version of the 1953 first issue. Its obverse legend includes BRITT OMN, "of all the Britains". After the Royal Titles proclamation of 28 May 1953 recast the Queen's style to reflect the Commonwealth, the Royal Mint notes that BRITT OMN was omitted from her titles, and the 1954 shillings do without it.

Coin Hunter and Wikipedia agree on 20,663,528 coins for circulation, with 40,000 proofs. That is about half the 41.9 million English shillings of 1953, and the Scottish figure stayed the lower of the two in most later years.

William Maving Gardner designed the reverse and, Wikipedia notes, engraved it himself; he designed the English shilling and later the decimal 20p as well. The Royal Mint describes the Scottish shilling's design as the heraldic Lion Rampant representing Scotland, the lion that also appears on the Royal Arms. Coins of the UK confirms a rampant lion, against the three lions of the English coin.

The obverse is Mary Gillick's portrait of the Queen wearing a laurel wreath, chosen from 17 entries. Its low relief made the 1953 head strike weakly, and Coins of the UK notes the weaker bust on this year compared with later dates. The coin is cupro-nickel with a milled edge.

Collecting notes

Confirm three things: the 1953 date, BRITT OMN in the legend and a single rampant lion on the reverse. Three lions make it the 1953 English shilling; no BRITT OMN makes it the 1954 to 1966 Scottish type.

Expect the hair and shoulder of the portrait to look soft even on unworn coins; the lion's outline is the better guide to wear. The 40,000 proofs were made for collectors.

After 1971 the shilling passed as 5 new pence. The Royal Mint states it remained legal tender until 1990, when the smaller 5p arrived, so this coin cannot now be spent.