Born in Jamaica in 1805, Mary Jane Seacole was the daughter of a Scottish officer in the British Army, and spent most of her first 50 years in the Caribbean, and in Central America, often providing nursing assistance in the region. She found her way in 1855, to the Crimean War, where she opened an establishment to aid British troops with food, medical aid, and supplies, which she paid for out of her own pocket. She was widely regarded, and returned to Jamaica in 1860, and then back to London a decade later.

The coin, from the Royal Mint, is based on a photograph of Seacole taken around 1850 and is a fine reproduction of it. The portrait is overlaid on a Union Jack, the symbol of the country she did so much to aid in the second half of her life, one she documented in her autobiography, ‘The Wonderful Adventures of Mrs Seacole’.

There are three £5 coins in the range, headed by a 22 kt gold version. Two sterling silver coins make up the more affordable offerings, both with the same diameter, with one being a double-thickness piedfort. All carry an inscription on their edge, which reads “THE ONE WHO NURSED HER SICK’. All are boxed with a COA, and will be available to order later today.