Diamond Jubilee coins
Diamond Jubilee coins
Celebrating a reign of 60 years
Her Late Majesty The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee in 2012 was a very special occasion in the nation’s history. The Queen became one of only two British monarchs to have reigned for 60 years; the first being Queen Victoria.
To mark the occasion, The Royal Mint struck a new £5 commemorative coin, The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee UK Silver Proof Coin. The coin brought together two portraits of Queen Elizabeth II.
The inspiration for The Queen’s younger portrait came from the very first portrait ever created of The Queen. It was designed by the artist Mary Gillick and first appeared on coins in 1953.
The present-day portrait was created by the artist Ian Rank-Broadley FRBS. He was inspired by images of The Queen specially commissioned for The Royal Mint and wanted to create a portrait that displayed ‘dignity and gravitas.’
The coin was the first coin struck to commemorate a Diamond Jubilee and was only available for a year.
The Official Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Collection
The Royal Mint also issued a collection of coins to celebrate the Diamond Jubilee. The series charted events, ceremonies and landmarks from The Queen’s 60-year reign that were seen to be important to her personally.