United Kingdom (Great Britain) Elizabeth II 5 Pounds

History

5 Pounds 2005, KM# 1054, United Kingdom (Great Britain), Elizabeth II, 200th Anniversary of Death of Horatio Nelson

Obverse. Photo © Check Your Change

Description

Horatio Nelson (1758–1805) was a British flag officer in the Royal Navy. He was noted for his inspirational leadership, superb grasp of strategy, and unconventional tactics, all of which resulted in a number of decisive naval victories, particularly during the Napoleonic Wars (1797–1815). He was significantly wounded several times in combat, losing the sight of his right eye during the campaign in Corsica, and later the amputation of his right arm in the unsuccessful attempt to conquer Santa Cruz de Tenerife in the Atlantic's Canary Islands off northwest Africa. He was shot and killed during his final pivotal victory at the naval Battle of Trafalgar against the combined Napoleonic French and Royal Spanish fleets off the southwest coast of Spain in 1805. Nelson's death at Trafalgar secured his position as one of Britain's most heroic figures.

Obverse	Crown, jewelry Girls of Great Britain and Ireland Tiara Person (king, queen, tsar etc.) Elizabeth II 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 FIVE POUNDS IRB
Reverse	Person (military) Horatio Nelson Facing uniformed portrait of Admiral Lord Nelson with the dates "1805, 2005" and legend "HORATIO NELSON" above. Engraver: James Butler HORATIO NELSON 1805 2005 JB
Edge	Reeded and lettered A signal sent by Vice Admiral Horatio Nelson, 1st Viscount Nelson, from his flagship HMS Victory as the Battle of Trafalgar was about to commence on 21 October 1805. ENGLAND EXPECTS EVERYMAN TO DO HIS DUTY