Obverse. Photo © NumisCorner.com
  • 1/2 Penny 1977, KM# 40, Isle of Man, Elizabeth II, Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), Food For All
  • 1/2 Penny 1977, KM# 40, Isle of Man, Elizabeth II, Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), Food For All
Obverse

Second crowned portrait of HM Queen Elizabeth II facing right, wearing the Girls of Great Britain and Ireland tiara, date below.

The Girls of Great Britain and Ireland tiara was a wedding present in 1947 from her grandmother, Queen Mary, who received it as a gift from the Girls of Great Britain and Ireland in 1893 on the occasion of her marriage to the Duke of York, later George V. Made by E. Wolfe & Co., it was purchased from Garrard & Co. by a committee organised by Lady Eve Greville. In 1914, Mary adapted the tiara to take 13 diamonds in place of the large oriental pearls surmounting the tiara. At first, Elizabeth wore the tiara without its base and pearls but the base was reattached in 1969. The Girls of Great Britain and Ireland Tiara is one of Elizabeth's most recognisable pieces of jewellery due to its widespread use on British banknotes and coinage.

Engraver: Arnold Machin

ELIZABETH THE SECOND
· 1977 ·
PM

Reverse

Depicts an Atlantic herring in front of the map of the isle surrounded by country name and F.A.O above, denomination, and inscription below.

The Atlantic herring (Clupea harengus), a member of the Clupeidae family, is among the world's most abundant fish species, found on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean in large schools. Growing up to 45 centimeters (18 inches) and weighing up to 1.1 kilograms (2.4 pounds), they primarily feed on copepods, krill, and small fish, facing natural predators like seals, whales, cod, and larger fish.

The Atlantic herring fishery has been crucial for the economies of New England and the Atlantic provinces of Canada due to the fish's proximity to the coast, particularly in the Gulf of Maine and Gulf of St. Lawrence. These North Atlantic herring schools can reach substantial sizes, with estimates suggesting up to four billion fish in a school measuring up to 4 cubic kilometers (0.96 cubic miles).

Engraver: Barry Stanton

ISLE OF MAN
F.A.O.
PM
FOOD FOR ALL
HALF PENNY

Edge
Characteristics
Type Commemorative Issue (Circulating)
Material Bronze
Weight 1.78 g
Diameter 17.14 mm
Thickness 1 mm
Shape round
Alignment Medal
Mint
Pobjoy Mint (PM)

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