Royal Shield £1 coins by year
Two Royal Shield £1 designs were issued from 1988 to 2016, all of them for circulation. The rarest in change is the 1988 Royal Shield £1, with 7,118,825 struck for circulation.
Royal Shield £1 value by year
| Photo | Coin | Circulation mintage | Rarity rank | Circulated | Uncirculated |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | 1988 Royal Shield £1 | 7,118,825 | 9 of 26 | £3.50 | £11 |
 | 2008 to 2016 Royal Shield £1 | 311,663,630 | 23 of 26 | £2.20 | £10 |
Typical values are the median of published prices for each coin, checked in September 2026. Rarity ranks run from 1, the lowest circulation mintage among £1 designs.
How to tell the Royal Shield £1 years apart
1988 Royal Shield £1
A crowned shield standing alone, with ONE POUND beneath and no animals either side, marks the 1988 coin. The date on the heads side should read 1988, around Raphael Maklouf's portrait of the Queen in a diadem, and the edge reads DECUS ET TUTAMEN. Check the crown: Matthew Dent's shield of 2008 to 2016 has none and puts ONE and POUND on either side. A genuine crowned shield only carries the 1988 date, so any other date with this design points to a fake.
2008 to 2016 Royal Shield £1
Look for the shield on its own with no crown above it, ONE to its left, POUND to its right and no beaded border. Circulation coins run from 2008 to 2015 with Ian Rank-Broadley's portrait. A coin with Jody Clark's portrait, the Queen in a diadem with JC below, came from a 2015 or 2016 set. Derek Gorringe's 1988 shield looks similar but has a crown and ONE POUND underneath. The old Royal Arms design was also struck in 2008, so check the reverse as well as the date.
Royal Shield £1 questions
Which Royal Shield £1 is the rarest?
The 1988 Royal Shield £1 has the lowest circulation mintage of the two, with 7,118,825 struck, which ranks it 9 of 26 £1 designs by rarity.
How many Royal Shield £1 coins are there?
There are two Royal Shield £1 designs: the 1988 Royal Shield £1 and the 2008 to 2016 Royal Shield £1.
Which Royal Shield £1 is worth the most?
In circulated condition the 1988 Royal Shield £1 is worth the most, typically £3.50. In uncirculated condition the highest is the 1988 Royal Shield £1, typically £11. Values were checked in September 2026.