Such were the celebrations for the Golden Jubilee of Queen Victoria in 1887 that it led the queen to record in her journal, "No one ever, I believe, has met with such an ovation as was given to me, passing through those six miles of streets. The cheering was quite deafening and every face seemed to be filled with real joy. I was much moved and gratified."

In that Jubilee year, a new coinage portrait of Queen Victoria was introduced, created by Sir Joseph Edgar Boehm who depicted the queen with a small crown. It would become known as the 'Jubilee Head'.