Obverse. Photo © Royal Mint
  • 5 Pounds 2015, KM# 1301, United Kingdom (Great Britain), Elizabeth II, Britain’s Longest Reigning Monarch
  • 5 Pounds 2015, KM# 1301, United Kingdom (Great Britain), Elizabeth II, Britain’s Longest Reigning Monarch
  • 5 Pounds 2015, KM# 1301, United Kingdom (Great Britain), Elizabeth II, Britain’s Longest Reigning Monarch, Printed card
Description

On 9 September 2015, a royal milestone was reached as, after 63 years of sovereignty, Her Majesty The Queen became the United Kingdom’s longest reigning monarch. The Queen, ever-respectful towards her predecessors, has acknowledged the occasion quietly and the Royal Mint has marked the moment with a specially created £5 coin.

Renowned artist James Butler MBE RA, designer of The Queen’s Great Seal of the Realm, has created both the obverse and the reverse of this commemorative £5 coin. This makes the UK £5 coin a modern rarity, as it is unusual in modern times for one artist to design both the obverse and reverse of a coin.

Obverse

A rare alternative effigy that will not feature on circulating coins of HM Queen Elizabeth II facing right, wearing the George IV State Diadem and drop earrings.

The George IV State Diadem, officially the Diamond Diadem, is a type of crown that was made in 1820 for King George IV. The diadem is worn by queens and queens consort in procession to coronations and State Openings of Parliament. The piece of jewelry has been featured in paintings and on stamps and currency. It can be seen in the Queen's Gallery at Buckingham Palace.

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

ELIZABETH II · DEI · GRA · REG · F · D ·
JB
FIVE POUNDS

Reverse

The Coronation Crown, the dates ‘1952 – 2015’, the initials ‘JB’ for James Butler and the words ‘One Crown’, which pay tribute to the significance of the fact that one person, Queen Elizabeth II, has worn that crown between the years 1952 and 2015.

St Edward's Crown is one of the oldest Crown Jewels of the United Kingdom and the centrepiece of the coronation regalia. Named after Edward the Confessor, it has traditionally been used to crown English and British monarchs at their coronation ceremonies. The current version was made for the coronation of Charles II in 1661.

1952 2015
JB
ONE CROWN

Edge
Characteristics
Type Commemorative Issue (Non-circulating)
Material Cupronickel
Weight 28.28 g
Diameter 38.61 mm
Thickness 2.89 mm
Shape round
Alignment Medal
Mint
Royal Mint

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