Obverse. Photo © Royal Mint
  • 2 Pounds 2019, Sp# K56, United Kingdom (Great Britain), Elizabeth II, 260th Anniversary the Foundation of Wedgwood
  • 2 Pounds 2019, Sp# K56, United Kingdom (Great Britain), Elizabeth II, 260th Anniversary the Foundation of Wedgwood
  • 2 Pounds 2019, Sp# K56, United Kingdom (Great Britain), Elizabeth II, 260th Anniversary the Foundation of Wedgwood, Royal Mint case with a booklet
Description

Josiah Wedgwood and Sons, commonly known as Wedgwood, is a fine china, porcelain, and luxury accessories company founded on 1 May 1759 by English potter and entrepreneur Josiah Wedgwood.

Wedgwood's best known product is jasperware, created to look like ancient cameo glass. It was inspired by the Portland Vase, a Roman vessel which is now a museum piece. The first jasperware colour was Portland Blue, an innovation that required experiments with more than 3,000 samples. In recognition of the importance of his pyrometric beads (pyrometer), Josiah Wedgwood was elected a member of the Royal Society in 1783. The Wedgwood Prestige collection sold replicas of the original designs, as well as modern neo-classical style jasperware.

Alloy:
• center: 0.925 sterling silver
• ring: 0.925 sterling silver plated with fine gold

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 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.

Engraver: Jody Clark

ELIZABETH II·D·G·REG·F·D·2 POUNDS·
J.C

Reverse

Depicts Wedgwood Portland Vase, dates below.

The Portland Vase is a Roman cameo glass vase, which is dated to between AD 1 and AD 25, though low BC dates have some scholarly support. It is the best known piece of Roman cameo glass and has served as an inspiration to many glass and porcelain makers from about the beginning of the 18th century onwards. It is first recorded in Rome in 1600–1601, and since 1810 has been in the British Museum in London.

The vase is about 25 centimetres (9.8 in) high and 56 cm (22 in) in circumference. It is made of violet-blue glass, and surrounded with a single continuous white glass cameo making two distinct scenes, depicting seven human figures, plus a large snake, and two bearded and horned heads below the handles, marking the break between the scenes. The meaning of the images on the vase is unclear, and none of the many theories put forward has been found generally satisfactory. They fall into two main groups: mythological and historical, though a historical interpretation of a myth is also a possibility.

Engraver: Wedgwood Design Team

WEDGWOOD
1759-2019

Edge

Josiah Wedgwood (1750–95), the best-known pottery manufacturer in Europe, was well-known for the epigram ‘Everything gives way to experiment’.

EVERYTHING GIVES WAY TO EXPERIMENT

Characteristics
Type Commemorative Issue (Non-circulating)
Material Bi-Metallic
Ring Gold Plated Silver
Center Silver
Weight 12 g
Diameter 28.4 mm
Thickness -
Shape round
Alignment Medal
Mint
Royal Mint

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