Can I spend or exchange a commemorative crown?

Commemorative crowns are issued to mark special occasions and are intended primarily as collectable coins rather than for everyday use.

At the time of decimalisation, the United Kingdom five-shilling crown was redenominated as a 25p coin, and pieces struck prior to 1990  continue to be legal tender for this amount. Crowns issued from 1990 onwards have a face value of £5. The value was increased in 1990 to better reflect the coin’s weight and size.

Although commemorative crowns are legal tender, this does not mean that banks or retailers are required to accept them. We recommend checking before visiting. 

Main Post Office branches can accept commemorative crowns in exchange for goods or services.