First portrait of HM Queen Elizabeth II (laureate bust) facing right, wearing a wreath. It was introduced in 1953, one year after the Queen acceded to the throne. It captures the grace and youth of the 26-year-old new Queen. Her hair is restrained by a laureate crown which is tied with ribbons at the back of her head. The Queen's shoulders are bare and the truncation follows the curve of the coin. The engravers initials M.G. are incuse, generally faint, and are located on the raised edge found at the base of the bust.

ELIZABETH II DEI GRATIA REGINA FIDEI DEFENSATRIX means Elizabeth the Second, by the grace of God Queen, Defender of the Faith.

Engraver: Mary Gillick

Britannia seated on a rock to right, wearing long, flowing robes over a breastplate of scaled armor. On her head is a Corinthian helmet with a plume. Her left hand is outstretched and raised, grasping a plain trident below the head. Her right hand rests on the edge of a large oval shield at her right side, on it are the combined crosses forming the Union Flag, her drapery partially covering the upper right of the shield; at left, a lighthouse. Value lettering surrounding, date underneath, sea behind.

Engraver: Charles Walter Coombes