Reverse - Design by Michael Rizzello of the 50th Anniversary symbol and a fanning pattern of flags with the inscription 'NATIONS UNITED FOR PEACE' above and the dates '1945-1995' below

Obverse - From 1985 to 1997, UK circulating coins featured a royal portrait by the sculptor Raphael Maklouf. The portrait was couped and showed The Queen wearing the royal diadem, which she normally wears on her way to and from the State Opening of Parliament.

Unlike the earlier portraits, Maklouf’s version also shows The Queen wearing a necklace and earrings. Critics accused him of sculpting The Queen “flatteringly young” but Maklouf responded by pointing out that his intention had been “to create a symbol, regal and ageless.”

If you look closely you can see the artist’s initials, ‘RDM’, at the bottom of The Queen’s neck. Maklouf included his middle initial, D for David, to make sure that his initials wouldn’t be seen as a reference to The Royal Mint.