Mary Gillick

1881–1965 · Sculptor; first portrait of Queen Elizabeth II

British sculptor who designed the first portrait of Queen Elizabeth II for British coinage in 1953. Her "Young Head" portrait, Elizabeth wreathed and crowned with a laurel, became the face of pre-decimal Britain, used on every UK coin from 1953 to 1968. Gillick's gentle, classical portrait remains many collectors' favourite of the five Elizabeth II portraits.

£52,869
30
Coins in catalogue
2
Decades active
Elizabeth II half crown, 1961, obverse by Mary Gillick
A 1961 half crown, obverse.Image: 1961 Half Crown Head by Simon Speed, Wikimedia Commons, Public domain

Notable works

1953–1968 Elizabeth II portrait On every pre-decimal Elizabeth coin.
1953 Coronation crown Elizabeth on horseback in her coronation regalia.
Maundy money 1953–1968 Gillick's portrait on the silver Maundy fourpence, threepence, twopence and penny.

Mary Gillick coins in our catalogue (30)

Coins where Mary Gillick is credited as the obverse or reverse designer. Click any coin for full grade-by-grade prices, mintage, and reference images. Grouped by decade.

1950s 28 coins

1 Farthing - Elizabeth II 1st portrait; with 'BRITT:OMN' 1953 · 6,131,037 · £18 1 Penny - Elizabeth II 1st portrait; with 'BRITT:OMN' 1953 · 1,308,400 · £64 · Key 1 Penny - Elizabeth II Maundy pre-decimal; 1st issue 1953 · 1,050 1 Shilling - Elizabeth II English shield; with 'BRITT:OMN' 1953 · 41,942,894 · £58 1 Shilling - Elizabeth II Scottish shield; with 'BRITT:OMN' 1953 · 20,663,528 · £121 1 Sovereign - Elizabeth II 1st portrait; Pattern 1953 ½ Crown - Elizabeth II 1st portrait; with 'BRITT:OMN' 1953 · 4,333,214 · £86 · Key ½ Penny - Elizabeth II 1st portrait; with 'BRITT:OMN' 1953 · 8,926,366 · £11 2 Pence - Elizabeth II Maundy pre-decimal; 1st issue 1953 · 1,025 2 Shillings - Elizabeth II 1st portrait; with 'BRITT:OMN' 1953 · 11,958,710 · £40 3 Pence - Elizabeth II 1st portrait; with 'BRITT:OMN' 1953 · 30,618,000 · £54 3 Pence - Elizabeth II Maundy pre-decimal; 1st issue 1953 · 1,078 4 Pence - Elizabeth II Maundy pre-decimal; 1st issue 1953 · 1,078 6 Pence - Elizabeth II 1st portrait; with 'BRITT:OMN' 1953 · 70,323,876 · £54 1 Farthing - Elizabeth II 1st portrait; without 'BRITT:OMN' 1954–1956 · 6,566,400 · £6 1 Penny - Elizabeth II 1st portrait; without 'BRITT:OMN' 1954–1970 · 48,313,400 · £30 1 Penny - Elizabeth II Maundy pre-decimal; 2nd issue 1954–1970 · 1,088 · £40 · Key 1 Shilling - Elizabeth II English shield; without 'BRITT:OMN' 1954–1970 · 30,262,032 · £3 1 Shilling - Elizabeth II Scottish shield; without 'BRITT:OMN' 1954–1970 · 26,771,735 · £4 ½ Crown - Elizabeth II 1st portrait; without 'BRITT:OMN' 1954–1970 · 11,614,953 · £35 ½ Penny - Elizabeth II 1st portrait; without 'BRITT:OMN' 1954–1970 · 19,375,200 · £3 2 Pence - Elizabeth II Maundy pre-decimal; 2nd issue 1954–1970 · 1,020 · £53 · Key 2 Shillings - Elizabeth II 1st portrait; without 'BRITT:OMN' 1954–1970 · 13,085,422 · £3 3 Pence - Elizabeth II 1st portrait; without 'BRITT:OMN' 1954–1970 · 41,720,000 · £2 3 Pence - Elizabeth II Maundy pre-decimal; 2nd issue 1954–1970 · 1,076 · Key 4 Pence - Elizabeth II Maundy pre-decimal; 2nd issue 1954–1970 · 1,050 · Key 6 Pence - Elizabeth II 1st portrait; without 'BRITT:OMN' 1954–1970 · 105,241,150 · £8 1 Sovereign - Elizabeth II 1st portrait 1957–1968 · 2,072,000 · £52,869

1960s 2 coins

5 Shillings - Elizabeth II British Exhibition 1960 · 1,024,038 · £9,814 · Key 1 Crown - Elizabeth II Churchill 1965 · 19,640,000 · £34
WatchQueen's Coins Minted (1952)British Pathé 1952 film of first Elizabeth II coins (British Pathé) Video: British Pathé on YouTube

Other UK coin designers

Benedetto Pistrucci William Wyon Leonard Charles Wyon Bertram Mackennal Mary Gillick Arnold Machin Raphael Maklouf Ian Rank-Broadley Jody Clark Martin Jennings Christopher Le Brun Christopher Ironside Matthew Dent Stephen Taylor Edwina Ellis Bruce Rushin Stephen Raw

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