Description
In 2022 Queen Elizabeth II became the first British monarch ever to celebrate a Platinum Jubilee (70th anniversary of reign).
During her remarkable and history-making reign, both her coronation and her four major jubilees (silver, gold, diamond, platinum) were celebrated with crown sized British commemorative coins.
The silver ‘crown’ is a coin that caries the name of the monarch (same as the gold sovereign) and dates back to the year 1551. It has a long association with the monarch and is the ‘prestige piece’ of Britain’s non-gold coinage.
The coronation crown exists only in base metal but the jubilees have all been celebrated with those coins in base metal (cupronickel) AND in sterling silver PROOF quality mintings for collectors. This nine coin set includes ALL of these!
Coin 1 – The coronation crown of 1953
The Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II was held more than a year after Her accession, on 2 June 1953; this followed the tradition that a festival such as a Coronation was inappropriate during the period of mourning that followed the death of the preceding sovereign.
Part of the celebrations of the Coronation was the issue of a commemorative crown, the first in the reign of Queen Elizabeth II. It has a number of distinctive features.
For the first time since the reign of King Charles I an equestrian portrait of the monarch was adopted in which Her Majesty is depicted riding side-saddle on a prancing horse, a riding stock in her left hand and reins in her right. As Colonel-in-Chief of the Grenadier Guards she is shown wearing the uniform of that office, complete with plumed cap. On either side appears the Royal Cypher ‘EIIR’, royally crowned and to either side of the face value FIVE SHILLINGS is a thistle and a rose.
The reverse design is by Edgar Fuller, four shields displaying the quarterings of the Royal Arms disposed in a cross saltire pattern and centred on a crown. In the angles, floral emblems signifying the four countries of the United Kingdom – a thistle for Scotland, a rose for England, a shamrock for Ireland, and a leek for Wales dividing the date 1953.
This crown also featured an inscribed edge: “FAITH AND TRUTH I WILL BEAR UNTO YOU” is impressed into the edge. This phrase was part of the Homage paid to Her Majesty towards the end of the Coronation service in Westminster Abbey by the ‘Princes and Peers of the Realm’, beginning with the Archbishop of Canterbury.
The coin in this set has been selected by our specialists as it has survived in choice quality making it desirable to collectors.
Coins 2 and 3 – The Silver Jubilee Crown of 1977
This is the first British jubilee commemorative coin in the reign of Queen Elizabeth II, and it has a number of distinctive features.
The obverse design continues a tradition in depicting an equestrian portrait of Queen Elizabeth II, as on the Coronation crown of 1953. She is shown riding side-saddle as before, on the occasion of the Trooping of the Colour on Horse Guards Parade in that year. However, there are one or two minor differences that together make for a more pleasing portrait. The horse is shown broadside on and in greater detail – altogether more animated, with outstretched tail, not prancing.
The reverse is remarkable as it features no legend at all: within a circle in the centre are depicted the Ampulla and Spoon which are used for the Anointing at the heart of the Coronation ceremony. The ampulla and spoon are older than the other objects of the Regalia, being relics of the articles in use before the Commonwealth, during which the Regalia was destroyed. The inner circle is surrounded by a wide border on which is depicted, at the top, St Edward’s crown as used at the Coronation. The rest of the border is taken up with curving branches bearing the leaves and fruit of the olive tree which spring to left and right from one stem at the foot. (In modern coronations a plain olive oil is used for the Anointing.) Both designs. on the obverse and the reverse, are the work of Arnold Machin.
This crown was minted in cupronickel and released into circulation. It was also produced in sterling silver to Proof standards. Both versions are included in this set.
Coins 4 and 5 – The Golden Jubilee £5 ‘Crown’ of 2002
The British crown-sized £5 coin for the Golden Jubilee featured an Equestrian Portrait of Queen Elizabeth II carrying on the tradition which had begun with the 1953 Coronation crown and then continued with the first jubilee crown of 1977 (also in this set). The legend includes the phrase AMOR POPULI PRAESIDIVM REG(INAE) which means “The love of the people is the Queen’s protection”.
On the obverse side it featured a new portrait of Queen Elizabeth II by Ian Rank-Broadley and this portrait was only used on this coin and it is the only coin ever to feature it. This portrait combines dignity with informality in the person of Queen Elizabeth II on the occasion of her 50th year of reign.
This crown was minted in cupronickel and also in sterling silver to Proof standards. Both versions are included in this set.
Coins 6 and 7 – The Diamond Jubilee £5 ‘Crown’ of 2012
The Diamond Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II was only the second in British history, that of her great-great grandmother Queen Victoria being the only previous occasion.
The 2012 commemorative crown is the first British crown ever to celebrate a Diamond Jubilee but in a tribute to the only other Diamond Jubilee, the crown features the same design style as the official 1897 commemorative medal of Queen Victoria.
On the obverse side it features a contemporary portrait of Her Majesty based on that outside the new Supreme Court building in London. The reverse side is inspired by the very first coinage portrait of Queen Elizabeth II by Mary Gillick, and the portrait is positioned on a wreath and ribbon. The edge is inscribed with the legend A VOW MADE GOOD.
Featuring a portrait of Queen Elizabeth II on both sides, this is the first British double-portrait crown of The Late Queen’s reign.
This crown was minted in cupronickel and was also produced in sterling silver to Proof standards. Both versions are included in this set.
Coins 8 and 9 – The Platinum Jubilee £5 ‘crown’ of 2022
For this year’s Platinum Jubilee Britain £5 crown sized commemorative coin has been produced. The regular version of this coin will feature the Royal Arms on one side and the usual portrait of Queen Elizabeth II on the other. However, an exclusive version is being produced that replaces the regular portrait with an Equestrian Portrait LINKING THIS COIN WITH THOSE OF 1953, 1977 AND 2002! What a wonderful historical ‘cycle’, spanning Queen Elizabeth II’s entire coinage!
It’s the exclusive version we’re including in this set!
This crown is being minted in cupronickel for collectors and in sterling silver to Proof standards, also for collectors. Both versions are included in this set.
