It’s the 90th birthday of Queen Elizabeth II today, and she becomes the longest reigning queen in history with only the current king of Thailand having reigned longer. She’s also the oldest current monarch, the oldest British monarch in history, and has caused poor old Prince Charles to get the record for being the worlds longest heir apparent at over 63 years.

Events like this are about as perfect as it gets for the numismatic world. Commonwealth countries are huge issuers of commemorative coins, nearly all carrying the Queens effigy on the obverse, and thus ripe for commemoration. That’s certainly been the case as you can see by the no means exhaustive list below.

There’s a huge selection in everything from cupro-nickel to platinum, from 2g to 1005g in weight, and coins of many shapes. Coins are a matter of taste like anything artistic, but highlights for us are Coin Invest Trusts amazing 3oz coin that because of their SmartMinting process, is a kilo-like 100mm in diameter with absolutely no loss of detail to the strike, and the Royal Canadian Mints Rose coin, which will no doubt be very popular due to its clean design.

A couple of surprising entrants are a pair of gold privy mark coins, the Gold Angel being not unexpected, but a proof 1/10oz Krugerrand with a privy and a tiny 260 mintage is something definitely worth picking up as they come along very rarely indeed. Pobjoy are at it again with a flood of releases including a follow-up to the odd Eiffel Tower shaped coin with one in the shape of the parliamentary tower that holds the world-famous Big Ben bell.

Plenty to look at, especially if you like heraldic and royal symbology. Clicking the mint name headers will open a new window to the issuer or distributor of the coin should you wish to know more.

ROYAL MINT

As the nation prepares to celebrate another landmark for the royal family, The Royal Mint has struck a new, special edition £5 coin to celebrate Her Majesty The Queen’s 90th birthday.

Approved by The Queen herself, the coin features a design by acclaimed artist and sculptor Christopher Hobbs, and portrays a classical celebratory garland of individually designed roses in recognition of her fondness for flowers and nature.

The coins are to be issued in a variety of finishes and metals, from ‘mint condition’ Brilliant Uncirculated coins, to editions struck in The Royal Mint’s high quality ‘Proof’ finish in Platinum, Gold and Silver.

The Royal Mint has previously honoured Her Majesty’s 70th and 80th birthdays, as well as other significant dates during her reign. In 1990 a £5 coin was released to commemorate The Queen Mother’s 90th birthday, and most recently, a £5 coin marked the moment when Her Majesty became Britain’s longest reigning monarch.

Designer Christopher Hobbs said of the coin: “My design for Her Majesty’s 90th birthday coin collection was inspired by the heraldic rose and The Queen’s love of flowers. The central ‘EIIR’ is surrounded by a classical wreath of celebration. I have tried to make the roses more natural than heraldic, each one different from the other. The oval form gave more space to the central lettering but was also, I felt, more interesting than a plain circle.”

DENOMINATION COMPOSITION WEIGHT DIAMETER FINISH MINTAGE BOX / COA
£5 UKP 0.9995 PLATINUM 94.20 g 38.61 mm PROOF 80 YES / YES
£5 UKP 0.9167 GOLD 39.94 g 38.61 mm PROOF 900 YES / YES
£5 UKP 0.925 SILVER 56.56 g 38.61 mm PROOF 5,000 YES / YES
£5 UKP 0.925 SILVER 28.28 g 38.61 mm PROOF 9,000 YES / YES
£5 UKP CuNi 28.28 g 38.61 mm B/UNC UNLIMITED YES / YES
£1000 UKP 0.999 GOLD 1005.0 g 100.0 mm PROOF 25 YES / YES
£500 UKP 0.999 SILVER 1005.0 g 100.0 mm PROOF 250 YES / YES
£10 UKP 0.999 GOLD 156.295 g 50.0 mm PROOF 150 YES / YES
£10 UKP 0.999 SILVER 156.295 g 65.0 mm PROOF 1,250 YES / YES
£20 UKP 0.999 SILVER 15.71 g 27.0 mm B/UNC 150,000 YES / YES

Designed by Canadian artist Claudio D’Angelo, your coin features two open blooms of the Queen Elizabeth rose variety. Timeless and elegant, the highly detailed design conveys much of the rose’s delicate beauty through the meticulous engraving, which gives the image its life-like quality.

The use of rose gold plating technology on the two blooms further adds to the artistry by representing the Queen Elizabeth rose’s distinctive pink colour, allowing this majestic floral beauty to stand out against the silver background.

Designed by Canadian artist Tony Bianco, your coin has been selectively enhanced with luxurious colour to draw the eye to the Royal Cypher (EIIR), St. Edward’s Crown, and the garter sash, while a high-tech glittering effect makes the diamond-encrusted maple leaf brooch sparkle.

The overall design is one of celebration, heightened by the flowing form of the garter sash and the frieze of maple leaves. The swirling pattern at the top of the design includes stylized Tudor roses, and evokes a sense of fireworks in honour of a Sovereign who is admired and beloved around the world.

Inspired by design elements from the Vladimir Tiara that was fashioned from the famous Cambridge Emeralds, Royal Canadian Mint engravers worked in close collaboration with renowned jeweller Steve Thompson (of Thompson S.D. Jewellers Ltd.) in order to incorporate precious stones into the minting process. The result is a rare and meticulously crafted gemstone coin that echoes the tiara’s diamond circles and emerald centres. The tiara’s iconic circular design is further expressed in the delicately engraved motif that forms the coin’s outer ring—a total 90 circles to honour The Queen on her 90th birthday; a historic celebration that is also highlighted in the coin’s unique dual date (1926-2016).

DENOMINATION COMPOSITION WEIGHT DIAMETER FINISH MINTAGE BOX / COA
$3 CANADIAN 0.9999 SILVER 7.96 g 27.0 mm PROOF 10,000 YES / YES
$20 CANADIAN 0.9999 SILVER 31.39 g 38.0 mm PROOF 7,000 YES / YES
$250 CANADIAN 0.9999 GOLD 60.08 g 38.0 mm PROOF 125 YES / YES

POBJOY MINT

The Gold Angel is one of the world’s favourite pure gold coins. Widely known as the “Krugerrand-killer”, it was introduced in 1984 to meet demand for a gold coin in countries that had an embargo on South African goods – which of course included the Krugerrand.

Now, for the first time ever, a special anniversary edition of the Gold Angel has been minted to mark Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s 90th birthday, and each coin features the distinctive ‘90th Birthday’ mint mark.

Minted in an exceptionally high 99.99% pure Gold (purer than the Gold Sovereign) and struck to the highest possible Proof quality, the edition limit is just 2,016 coins world-wide.

DENOMINATION COMPOSITION WEIGHT DIAMETER FINISH MINTAGE BOX / COA
N/A 0.9999 GOLD 3.11 g 16.5 mm PROOF 2016 YES / YES

COIN INVEST TRUST

Her Majesty Queen Elisabeth II was born on 21 April 1926 in London. She is the Head of State of the United Kingdom and 15 otherCommonwealth realms. In honour of Her Majesty’s 90th birthday her famous portrait appears on both sides of this special coin.

A unique feature of this jubilee edition is the unprecedented balance of light weight, large diameter and appealing high relief. The underlying new technology that facilitates the production of such exceptional coins is called smartminting©.

DENOMINATION COMPOSITION WEIGHT DIAMETER FINISH MINTAGE BOX / COA
$1 COOK ISLANDS 0.999 SILVER 2.0 g 22.5 mm PROOF 2,500 YES / YES
$20 COOK ISLANDS 0.999 SILVER 93.3 g 100.0 mm PROOF 999 YES / YES

NEW ZEALAND POST

This beautiful 1oz silver proof coin features the Duke and Duchess of York (later King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother) pictured holding their daughter, Princess Elizabeth (later Queen Elizabeth II) as she sleeps in a precious christening gown. The christening gown has been used by the royal family for generations, with a faithful replica used today for the newest additions to the royal family. The photo has been printed using a minted photo image technique, replicating the photographic look from days gone by. The photograph is framed by beautiful, high relief gold plating featuring New Zealand’s pōhutukawa flowers.

The coin comes with an individually numbered certificate and is immaculately presented in a royal purple leatherette case, keeping your coin pristine for years to come. With a worldwide mintage of just 1,500, this coin is sure to be popular and won’t last long.

DENOMINATION COMPOSITION WEIGHT DIAMETER FINISH MINTAGE BOX / COA
$1 NEW ZEALAND 0.999 SILVER 31.1 g 40.0 mm PROOF 2,500 YES / YES

SOUTH AFRICAN MINT

2016 marks a very special moment in the history of the Gold Krugerrand, one of the world’s most famous Gold coins. To mark the 90th Birthday of H.M Queen Elizabeth II, The South Africa Mint have issued a special and very limited Gold Krugerrand coin – the first time ever to celebrate a Royal Birthday.

Limited Edition: unique ‘QEII 90th’ Mint Mark – a ‘one year only’ edition.

With an extremely low mintage of only 260 coins worldwide, this special edition 1 /10 Krugerrand features a unique ‘QEII 90th’ Mint Mark that will only appear on this special issue of gold Krugerrands. This means that this coin will become a ‘one year only’ type – never to be released again.

DENOMINATION COMPOSITION WEIGHT DIAMETER FINISH MINTAGE BOX / COA
N/A 0.9167 GOLD 3.11 g 16.5 mm PROOF 260 YES / YES

THE WESTMINSTER COLLECTION

This year our Queen will become the only British sovereign to celebrate her 90th birthday – ever. To celebrate this momentous occasion, a brand new coin has been issued – The Queen Elizabeth II 90th Birthday Silver £5 Coin and today you can add one to your collection.

Your coin features a one-year only specially commissioned 90th birthday portrait on the obverse, designed by renowned international sculptor Luigi Badia. The reverse features an oak wreath and crown symbolising long life and the House of Windsor with EIIR at the centre, encircled by the words Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and the years 1926-2016.

Struck in sterling silver to a pristine proof finish, your coin will arrive in a wooden presentation box with a numbered certificate of authenticity. With a worldwide edition limit of just 2,500 you will need to act quickly to ensure you secure one of them.

DENOMINATION COMPOSITION WEIGHT DIAMETER FINISH MINTAGE BOX / COA
£5 GUERNSEY 0.925 SILVER 28.28 g 38.61 mm PROOF 2,500 YES / YES

PERTH MINT

Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II was born Princess Elizabeth Alexandra Mary at 2:40am on 21 April 1926, the eldest daughter, and first child, of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth. On 21 April 2016, Queen Elizabeth II celebrated her 90th birthday. Each Commonwealth country traditionally celebrates The Queen’s birthday on a designated day in May or June. In the United Kingdom, it falls on the first, second, or third Saturday in June, which was chosen for the fine weather in the northern hemisphere, making it a preferable time for a public holiday.

The coin’s reverse depicts a pattern inspired by The Queen’s coronation crown. The inscriptions H.M. QUEEN ELIZABETH II and 90TH BIRTHDAY, the date ‘21-4-2016’, and The Perth Mint’s ‘P’ mintmark are also included in the design.

Each coin’s high relief reverse and obverse are minted on concave surfaces to ensure the optimum flow of metal is achieved by the strike of the die.

DENOMINATION COMPOSITION WEIGHT DIAMETER FINISH MINTAGE BOX / COA
$1 AUSTRALIAN 0.9999 SILVER 31.135 g 32.6 mm PROOF 5,000 YES / YES
$25 AUSTRALIAN 0.9999 GOLD 7.777 g 20.6 mm PROOF 1,000 YES / YES
$200 AUSTRALIAN 0.9999 GOLD 62.215 g 36.6 mm PROOF 300 YES / YES

POBJOY MINT

Pobjoy Mint is proud to announce the release of a series of coins from four different Overseas Territories to commemorate Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II 90th Birthday.  This stunning series of coins are released on behalf of Ascension Island, British Virgin Islands, Falkland Islands, South Georgia & the South Sandwich Islands and the British Antarctic Territory.

Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II celebrates two birthdays each year, her actual birthday on 21st April and her official Birthday on 10th June. Official celebrations to mark a Sovereign’s birthday have often been held on another day in the summer to ensure good weather for the ‘Trooping the Colour’ Parade, also known as the Birthday Parade.

  1. This beautiful collector’s coin itself features the 1952 portrait from the Queen’s first ‘Trooping the Colour’ ceremony with the Privy Mark of the Royal Standard.
  2. 1977 silver jubilee portrait with the Privy Mark of Windsor Castle where the portrait was painted.
  3. This beautiful collector’s coin itself features the 1966 portrait of Her Majesty during a visit to the British Virgin Islands with the Privy Mark of a map of the islands with the Coat of Arms.
  4. This beautiful collector’s coin itself features the 2013 portrait of Her Majesty during the christening of Prince George of Cambridge with four St Edward’s Crowns representing the current Monarch and the three male heirs.
  5. This beautiful collector’s coin itself features the 2013 portrait from the 2013 Christmas Message with the Privy Mark of Buckingham Palace from where the message was televised.
COIN COMPOSITION WEIGHT DIAMETER FINISH MINTAGE BOX / COA
PER COIN 0.925 SILVER 28.28 g 38.6 mm PROOF 10,000 YES / YES

Pobjoy Mint is proud to announce the release of a very special coin on behalf of the British Virgin Islands to commemorate Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II 90th Birthday. The coin features a “Double Head” of HM Queen Elizabeth II in a stunning Ultra High Relief that creates a three-dimensional image that rises majestically above the coin’s surface.

This amazing new coin will be available in a Proof Fine 1oz Piedfort Silver (weighing 2oz) with a relief of 3.8mm, and in Proof Fine 1/2oz Piedfort Gold (weighing 1oz) with a relief of 2.8mm, each beautifully engineered coin has been struck to the highest quality. With a limited mintage that makes it a rare and exclusive coin, it is a fitting tribute to Her Majesty on a very special birthday.

The portrait on the reverse will be facing to the left with an inscription above that reads “Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II”.

Following on from the success of our Eiffel Tower shaped coin, this year we are producing another uniquely shaped coin on behalf of the British Virgin Islands, this time in the shape of Big Ben.

Big Ben is actually the name of the Great Bell of the clock tower, which was renamed the Elizabeth Tower in 2012 in honour of Her Majesty’s Diamond Jubilee, which is situated at the north end of the Palace of Westminster in London. However, the name is often extended to include the clock and the tower and not just the bell itself. 2016 marks the 160th Anniversary of the casting of the original bell which was cast in Stockton-on-tees in England. Unfortunately, this first bell cracked beyond repair and has since been replaced. The tower itself holds the second largest four-faced chiming clock in the world and is one of the most prominent symbols of the United Kingdom and often features in any movie with a London location.

This unique coin has been produced in the shape of the clock tower showing the intricate architecture of this stunning landmark. As a special tribute to Her Majesty’s 90th Birthday this year, the time of the clock face is shown at 2:40am, the time the Queen was actually born.

Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II celebrates two birthdays each year, her actual birthday on 21st April and her official Birthday on 10th June. To commemorate her 90th Birthday we have produced a new coin on behalf of the British Virgin Islands with the unique shape of the number 90.

To highlight the unique shape of the coin we have included a bouquet that covers its surround by showing the Rose of England, the Thistle of Scotland, the Daffodil of Wales and the Shamrock of Ireland, which represent the four countries that make up the United Kingdom.

Her Majesty’s 90th Birthday Official Party will be held at Windsor Castle on 12th- 15th May 2016 and it will be a celebration of The Queen’s life, her dedication to the Commonwealth and international affairs and her deep involvement with the Navy, Army and ­­­­Air Force.

Design

The design on the coin features a portrait of Her Majesty in the centre of the “0” with the coin value in the centre of the “9”. The surround of the coin features a bouquet holding the national flowers of the countries that form the United Kingdom. The obverse carries Her Majesty’s effigy by Pobjoy Mint with a continuation of the bouquet design.

Pobjoy Mint is delighted to announce the release of a new High Relief coin on behalf of Ascension Island featuring a “Double Portrait” of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II in the year that marks her 90th Birthday.

Featuring a portrait of Her Majesty showing a Young Queen Elizabeth alongside a portrait of Her Majesty today, this coin is made even more special by the three 0.005 Carat diamonds inset into her crown highlighted in amazing detail by the High Relief of both portraits.

The Queen is set to celebrate her 90th birthday on 21st April, and there are plenty of celebrations in store to mark the monarch’s milestone day. From pageants and street parties to a very special television programme featuring members of the royal family, a number of commemorative events have been arranged that are fit for a Queen.

This stunning coin is available in 1oz High Relief Fine Silver which has the current portrait of Her Majesty Gold plated and three diamonds inset into her crown. The issue limit has been set to 600 for the special Patron’s Lunch. Representatives of 600 charities of which the Queen is Patron have been invited.

The design features a double side portrait of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, one showing Her Majesty as a Young Queen with the portrait in the foreground showing a more current image of Her Majesty. The wording “God Save Our Gracious Queen” appears in the surround. The obverse depicts the Queen’s effigy design by Pobjoy Mint.

COIN COMPOSITION WEIGHT DIAMETER FINISH MINTAGE BOX / COA
UHR PIEDFORT 0.999 SILVER 62.206 g 38.60 mm PROOF 650 YES / YES
BIG BEN NICKEL SILVER 25.9 g 85 x 19.5 mm B / UNC 5,000 YES / YES
90 SHAPED 0.999 SILVER 62.6 g 62.8 x 38.6 mm PROOF 3,000 YES / YES
DOUBLE PORTRAIT 0.999 SILVER 31.103 g 38.60 mm PROOF 600 YES / YES

ADVERTISEMENTS

iconicon
icon
icon
icon