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Following the news of the death of Queen Elizabeth II, I was asked by my editor here at Coin Update and World Mint News Blog if I would share with our readers some of my favourite coins minted during the Queen’s reign collected over the years and why I added them to my collection. Over the next seven weeks, each Friday, it will be my pleasure to do so. Some of these coins are hard to find, and some are relatively common, but all with a special place in a coin collection amassed over the last 40-plus years. Some of the most outstanding or noteworthy coins minted during the reign of Queen Elizabeth II weren’t necessarily the largest, the most ornate, or the rarest. In my humble opinion, they were coins with topics, anniversaries or events that either shaped a particular country or had historic importance. Astonishingly, the coins of the late Queen cover seven decades from the early-1950s to this year and, in some cases, into 2023.
I’ve always tried to approach writing about any coin with the belief that each one has its own story to tell. For many collectors and I count myself in this description, each coin added to a collection certainly involves its own story or personal memory of how and when it was obtained. Coin collecting, especially for myself, has been mostly about the enjoyment and the pursuit of discovering a “find” which could be crossed off a “want list” and there are seven decades of Elizabeth II coins to highlight and still look for in some instances.
It was with poignant coincidence that less than one week after the state funeral of the Queen, London played host to one of the UK’s most prominent numismatic events. COINEX was well attended taking into consideration it was the first show since the initial pandemic lockdown in 2020, forcing last two scheduled shows to be cancelled. Of course, one of the primary topics discussed is the impact, if any that a transition to a new monarch depicted on British and Commonwealth coins would have on modern coin collecting. At this early juncture I can’t really say whether changing effigies will have any impact on the habits of coin collectors nor whether the coins will have greater or lesser appeal. Initially, I do believe there will be interest in what all these new coins will look like, changes to different effigies of the Queen did always have this immediate interest. For this reason, I see no reason why this wouldn’t be the case with a new monarch, perhaps collectors will show an even greater level of interest. Coin Update and World Mint News Blog will, of course, follow these developments closely.
Elizabeth II, 1952–2022
The late Queen acceded to the British throne in February 1952. At this time, the British Empire was developing into the Commonwealth of Nations, and many colonies and territories were also on their path to attaining independence. Besides the United Kingdom, several countries in Africa, Asia, the Pacific, and in the Caribbean issued coins with the new Queen’s effigy. When Elizabeth II began her reign, she presided over 85 separate territories or colonies, 32 of them transitioned into sovereign states during her lifetime, and 15 separate realms recognised her as Head of State at the time of her death.
1950s
New Zealand 1953 coronation crown: Aside from the British five-shilling crown coin produced by the Royal Mint on the occasion of the Queen’s coronation in 1953, another crown coin stands out for both its simplicity and regional design focusing on Maori art. The coins were minted in cupro-nickel by the Royal Mint and also included the Southern Cross constellation and the new Queen’s royal cypher, E II R and a representation of St. Edward’s crown on the reverse. In contrast to the Latin legend normally seen on British or Commonwealth coinage, the coinage of New Zealand opted to include the Queen’s title along with Mary Gillick’s effigy in English as “QUEEN ELIZABETH THE SECOND.” This was the first coin from New Zealand I added to my fledgling collection, the description ticket listing 1981 as the year it was acquired. Soon after, I added the 1949 crown and after, a 1940 “Waitangi” half-crown marking New Zealand’s centenary of having been ceded to the British crown.
Bermuda 1959 350th anniversary crown: This was the first coin I encountered with the Queen’s territorial effigy designed by sculptor Cecil Thomas for the coinage of Great Britain’s colonies and dependencies. As a coin collector who enjoys royal portrait variations, this crown of five shillings with the same specifications as older standard silver British crowns was a great addition. Struck by the Royal Mint, the reverse included a map of Bermuda with the ships Deliverance and Patience, which were launched from St. George’s en route to Jamestown in 1609 after the passengers and crew from the Sea Venture ran aground the year before. Remarkably, this effigy was continued on some of the most recent circulation coins from Belize, formerly British Honduras. I remember spotting this coin in an antique shop window housed in a small square plastic holder and in pristine condition, very reasonably priced. I was just beginning to seriously collect world coins, and this was a memorable find.
Canada 1958 British Columbia centenary dollar: Canada’s first commemorative coin since 1949; they were issued to mark the centenary anniversary of the establishment of British Columbia in 1858 as a colony within the British Empire. Concerns over American annexation led to an agreement between the Canadian government to extend both the Canadian Pacific Railway to British Columbia and to assume the colony’s debt. As a result, British Columbia became the sixth province to join Canada’s confederation on the 20th July 1871. The reverse side really caught my eye as it depicts an excellent rendition of a Totem Pole, carved illustrations of family lineage, and cultural heritage of the native peoples in the islands and coastal areas of North America’s Pacific Northwest, notably British Columbia. The obverse included the Gillick effigy of the Queen, which was to last until 1965. Looking at the date I acquired this coin, I also added a couple other Canadian dollars on the same day, notably the 1964 Charlottetown, the 1967 Confederation, and the 1973 RCMP centenary anniversary.
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