The Royal Mint has launched a collection of coins to represent the Capital Cities of England, Scotland, Wales and of course, Northern Ireland.

This year will see coins launched representing London and Belfast, with Cardiff and Edinburgh coins being launched in 2011.

The Royal Mint describes the coins on their website:

'The new £1 coin reverse features the coat of arms belonging to Belfast and described heraldically as: 'Per fess argent and azure in chief a pile vair and on a canton gules a bell argent in base on waves of the sea proper a ship sails set argent'. 

This means that the field is divided horizontally, the upper half white and the lower half blue. In the upper part an interlocking pattern of blue and white with a silver bell in a red corner-piece or 'canton.' A sea going vessel dominates in the lower half and alludes to Belfast's nautical heritage. 

The blue-and-white pattern comes from the arms of the Chichester family, while the bell is a simple reference to the city's name and appeared on tokens used by Belfast tradesmen in the seventeenth century.

The motto of the City's arms (PRO TANTO QUID RETRIBUAMUS) provides a pleasing edge inscription for the precious metal coins and can be translated as 'What shall we give in return for so much'

The coins can be purchased from the Royal Mint website and are mainly limited edition ranging from approx. £5 plus p&p to hundreds of pounds.