Obverse. Photo © Royal Mint
  • 10 Pence 2018-2019, KM# 1533, United Kingdom (Great Britain), Elizabeth II, Quintessentially British A to Z, H - Houses of Parliament
  • 10 Pence 2018-2019, KM# 1533, United Kingdom (Great Britain), Elizabeth II, Quintessentially British A to Z, H - Houses of Parliament
Description

The Royal Mint revealed its very first Quintessentially British A to Z coin collection celebrating all things British. The collection features 26 ten-pence coins, each one for each letter of the alphabet highlighting a British icon, monument or tradition, from the red Double Decker Bus and the famous prehistoric monument, Stonehenge to Ian Fleming’s secret agent, Bond.

Obverse

The fifth crowned portrait 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 jewellery 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.

Engraver: Jody Clark

ELIZABETH II•DEI•GRA•REG•F•D•TEN PENCE•2018•
J.C

Reverse

The letter H represents Houses of Parliament and depicts a crowned portcullis with chains (an adaptation of the Badge of Henry VII which is now the Badge of the Palace of Westminster).

A portcullis (from the French porte coulissante, "sliding door") is a heavy vertically-closing gate typically found in medieval fortifications, consisting of a latticed grille made of wood, metal, or a combination of the two, which slides down grooves inset within each jamb of the gateway.

The Palace of Westminster is the meeting place of the House of Commons and the House of Lords, the two houses of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Commonly known as the Houses of Parliament after its occupants, the Palace lies on the north bank of the River Thames in the City of Westminster, in central London. The Palace is one of the centres of political life in the United Kingdom; "Westminster" has become a metonym for the UK Parliament, and the Westminster system of government has taken its name after it. The Elizabeth Tower, in particular, which is often referred to by the name of its main bell, Big Ben, is an iconic landmark of London and the United Kingdom in general, one of the most popular tourist attractions in the city, and an emblem of parliamentary democracy.

H

Edge
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Characteristics
Type Commemorative Issue (Circulating)
Material Nickel Plated Steel
Weight 6.5 g
Diameter 24.5 mm
Thickness 1.85 mm
Shape round
Alignment Medal
Mint
Royal Mint

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