On Monday 19th September 2022, Queen Elizabeth II was laid to rest. Her state funeral was the first held in Britain since Winston Churchill’s in 1965. The State Funeral of Queen Elizabeth II marked the culmination of 10 days of national mourning, during which time the Army, Navy and Royal Air Force readied themselves to perform a role rehearsed over many years. It was a final act of dedication to their late Commander in Chief.
A new series of gold sovereign coins have been produced to mark the first anniversary of the passing of Queen Elizabeth II, with designs that recall the military procession and State funeral with which this nation paid its last respects, to our greatest ever monarch. Introducing the 2023 Queen Elizabeth II Memorial Gold Sovereign Range, and in particular, the quarter sovereign…
To emphasise the thousands of military personnel that took part in the funeral procession, the design on this new set of gold coins is particularly special. By using triple-finish Proof minting these coins simulate rows of service personnel by lining up a sculpted ‘main’ figure against outlines in gleaming mirror finish and frosted finish. The result is a coin of beautiful contrast, and when this is minted onto lustrous 22 carat gold the result is truly superb.
The quarter sovereign features a silhouetted row of Royal Navy seamen representing all naval personnel who took part in the queen’s funeral. The half Sovereign features a silhouetted row of Grenadier Guardsmen, the most senior of the Foot Guards regiments, representing all those in the British Army who took part in the procession. A silhouetted row of RAF airmen are depicted on the sovereign. In addition to marching in the precession, the regular RAF bands provided continuous music throughout the procession, including funeral marches by Beethoven, Mendelsohn and Chopin. On the double sovereign sits a silhouetted row of Yeomen of the Guard representing all non-military services who took part in the Funeral Procession of Elizabeth II.
All these features make these coins desirable to own. Now that the emotions of the queen’s sad passing have settled and we approach the anniversary of her death, many people are looking for a way to memorialise her incredible reign and remember how we all felt a year ago, watching the state funeral of a queen loved and admired worldwide.
All purchases from the 2023 Queen Elizabeth II Memorial Gold Sovereign Series will contribute to the work of SSAFA, the Armed Forces Charity, and ensure the continuation of their crucial work in providing welfare and wellbeing assistance to our Forces and their families continues. This is a charity which Queen Elizabeth II supported from the very start of her reign, taking her father’s place as Patron upon his death in 1952. In recent years, even when Her Late Majesty was reducing her workload, she remained as Patron of SSAFA, actively supporting their work and retaining a keen interest in the people and families they helped.
The quarter sovereign features a silhouetted row of Royal Navy seamen representing all naval personnel who took part in the Funeral Procession, with the Union flag below and a silhouette portrait of Elizabeth II and her memorial dates, 1926 2022. You can purchase the quarter sovereign coin HERE, or alternatively, you can contact our sovereign experts on 0333 234 3103.
