2011 Silver Proof Piedfort Set

Celebrate 2011 in style with this year’s Silver Proof Piedfort Set. Beloved of collectors and struck only when there is a change of design, piedfort coins contain twice the amount of pure silver as their standard silver counterparts.

The 2011 Silver Piedfort Set contains all six special UK coins of the year struck in sterling silver to impeccable Proof quality: the large £5 coin celebrating Prince Philip’s 90th birthday in June, two £2 coins – both plated with fine gold on the outer rim – two £1 coins completing the Cities Series and a 50p coin celebrating WWF.

Just 2,000 sets* will be made available.

*Maximum Coin Mintages: The 2011 Commemorative £5, the Mary Rose £2 coin and the two £1 coins – 4,000. The WWF 50p and the King James Bible £2 coin – 3,500.

The word piedfort comes from the French piefort (pee-ay-for) meaning ‘heavy measure’ and, indeed, Piedfort coins, double the thickness of their standard counterpart, can be traced back to twelfth-century France where they were used by the King as presentation pieces.

During the Queen’s reign the first piedfort coin struck especially for collectors came in 1982 with the introduction of the 20p coin. Today, they are among the most popular coins issued each year.

The six coins in the 2011 Silver Piedfort Set celebrate Britain in 2011: The £5 Coin His Royal Highness, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh is the subject of our exquisitely crafted £5 commemorative coin. 2011 sees him celebrate his 90th birthday and the coin bears a splendid profile portrait created by Mark Richards FRBS.