Mary Gillick

Mary Gillick (1881 - 27 January 1965) was a sculptor best known for her effigy of Elizabeth II used on coinage in the United Kingdom and elsewhere from 1953 to 1967. Born Mary Tutin in Nottingham, she was educated at the Nottingham School of Art and at the Royal College of Art from 1902 to 1904. After making her first exhibition at the Royal Academy in 1911, she designed several medals to be used as awards, and several other, larger relief sculptures in stone and bronze.

In 1952 Gillick's effigy design was selected from a field of seventeen to be used on general-circulation coinage. When Gillick sculpted the die master, however, the relief was slightly too high; the pressure of the dies therefore caused the dress folds in the shoulder to disappear. Since this made the Queen's shoulder appear uncovered, the dies were considered unacceptable; the problem was solved by a re-master later in 1953.

The design was notable for portraying the Queen uncrowned (the only one in Elizabeth II's reign to do so), and was the last to be used on the pre-decimal coinage. It it is still used for Maundy money and various commemorative issues.

Gillick was married (1905) to another noteworthy sculptor, Ernest Gillick, who is believed to have influenced her work.

External link

• 1953 minting error (in French; illustrated)