Description

This Brilliant Uncirculated £5 coin was issued to celebrate the turn of the Millennium. The Mint actually issued the same coin twice in both 1999 and 2000. In 2000 the KM# 1006.1 was Minted at the Millennium Dome with a special Dome mint mark.

The Millennium Dome is the original name of a large dome-shaped building, originally used to house the Millennium Experience, a major exhibition celebrating the beginning of the third millennium of the Common Era.

Obverse

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

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.

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

Engraver: Ian Rank-Broadley

ELIZABETH·II·D·G REG·F·D·1999
IRB

Reverse

The focal point of the design bears a representation of the British Isles with a pair of clock hands, pivoted on Greenwich and set at the crucial twelve o'clock position, with the important millennium dates of 1999 and 2000 incorporated either side. In addition, the traditional beading around the outer edge has been transformed into the minutes and hours of a clock face, further enhancing the essential theme of the design.

Greenwich Mean Time is recognised throughout the world as an international time zone system with every day beginning and ending from twelve midnight at Greenwich.

Anno Domini designates years since the traditional date of the birth of Jesus Christ.

KM# 1006.1 has the Millennium Dome mint mark at 3 o'clock in inner circle.

Engraver: Jeffery Matthews

1999 2000
ANNO
DOMINI
JM
FIVE POUNDS

Edge

Lettering is taken from Shakespeare's The Tempest

WHAT'S PAST IS PROLOGUE

Characteristics
Type Commemorative Issue (Non-circulating)
Material Cupronickel
Weight 28.28 g
Diameter 38.61 mm
Thickness 2.89 mm
Shape round
Alignment Medal
Alt # KM# 1006.1
Mint
Royal Mint

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