Description

The British crown, the successor to the English crown and the Scottish dollar, came into being with the Union of the kingdoms of England and Scotland in 1707. As with the English coin, its value was five shillings.

The coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, which took place on the 2nd June 1953, sixteen months after her accession to the British throne. For the first time in history, the solemn event was televised to millions of homes around the world and ushering in the age of modern communications which the Queen’s reign has been a part of since that day. The Queen’s new coins which included her portrait also made their debut in the same year with a five shilling crown depicting the new monarch on horseback which was also struck for the occasion.

Following the untimely death of King George VI after a reign of only just over 15 years, Elizabeth Alexandra Mary, Princess of the United Kingdom of Great Britain & Northern Ireland, heiress presumptive and eldest daughter of the late King, became Queen at the age of 25. Queen Elizabeth II also became head of the Commonwealth as well as head of state for more than a dozen other countries and territories.