George VI was king throughout one of the most important periods in modern history. His reign witnessed both the Second World War and its aftermath, as well as changing attitudes in society. As monarch, he visited areas affected by the Blitz with his wife, Queen Elizabeth, boosting the morale of British citizens.

The crown has a history dating back to the reign of Henry VIII when it was introduced to circulation as a gold coin but it became a silver coin during the reign of Edward VI. Its large surface area leant itself well to commemorative designs and it became used for this purpose when it was redenominated as a £5 coin following decimalisation.