Canada Elizabeth II 50 Cents

History

50 Cents 1959-1964, KM# 56, Canada, Elizabeth II

50 Cents 1959-1964, KM# 56, Canada, Elizabeth II, Horizontal shading on the lower shield

Obverse. Photo © NumisCorner.com

Description

Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 1926–2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and of 14 other Commonwealth realms. Her reign of 70 years and seven months, which began on 6 February 1952, was the longest of any British monarch in history.

When her father died in February 1952, Elizabeth—then 25 years old—became queen regnant of seven independent Commonwealth countries: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Pakistan, and Ceylon (Sri Lanka), as well as Head of the Commonwealth. Elizabeth reigned as a constitutional monarch through major political changes such as the Troubles in Northern Ireland, devolution in the United Kingdom, the decolonisation of Africa, and the United Kingdom's accession to the European Communities and withdrawal from the European Union. The number of her realms varied over time as territories have gained independence and some realms have become republics.

Times of personal significance have included the births and marriages of her children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren, her coronation in 1953 and the celebrations of her Silver, Golden, Diamond, and Platinum jubilees in 1977, 2002, 2012, and 2022, respectively.

Obverse	Person (king, queen, tsar etc.) Elizabeth II First portrait of HM Queen Elizabeth II (laureate bust) facing right, wearing a wreath. It was introduced in 1953, one year after the Queen acceded to the throne. It captures the grace and youth of the 26-year-old new Queen. Her hair is restrained by a laureate crown which is tied with ribbons at the back of her head. The Queen's shoulders are bare and the truncation follows the curve of the coin. The engravers initials M.G. are incuse, generally faint, and are located on the raised edge found at the base of the bust. ELIZABETH II DEI GRATIA REGINA means Elizabeth II, by the grace of God, Queen Engraver: Mary Gillick ELIZABETH II DEI GRATIA REGINA M·G·
Reverse	Animal (fish, bird, mammal etc.) Lion Coat of arms Canada Legendary creature (dragon, unicorn etc.) Unicorn Depicts a complete version of the Royal Coat of Arms of Canada, proclaimed by King George V on November 21, 1921, surrounded by the date, the facial value and the inscription CANADA. The design of the coat of arms includes: • symbols of the four founding nations of Canada featured on the shield: the three royal lions of England, the royal lion of Scotland, the royal fleur-de-lis of France, and the royal Irish harp of Tara; • the lion of England holding the Royal Union Flag and the unicorn of Scotland carrying the flag of Royal France; • a sprig of red maple leaves at the bottom, is a distinctly Canadian symbol that became gradually identified with the country throughout the 19th century; • the Royal Crown at the top, indicating that these are the Arms of Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada. A Mari Usque Ad Mare (English: From Sea to Sea) is the Canadian national motto. The phrase comes from the Latin Vulgate translation of Psalm 72:8 in the Bible: "Et dominabitur a mari usque ad mare, et a flumine usque ad terminos terrae" (King James Bible: "He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth"). Below the ribbon is a stylized set of crossed branches which contain an English rose, Scottish thistle, Irish shamrock and French fleur-de-lis. Engraver: Thomas Shingles CANADA 19 62 50 CENTS A MARI T S AD MARE USQUE
Edge	Reeded (milled)