The Story Behind the new Longest Reigning Monarch £5 Coin

st lrm cuni c2a35 for c2a35 coin facebook carousel images 1 - The Story Behind the new Longest Reigning Monarch £5 Coin

The new Longest Reigning Monarch £5 Coin issued by Jersey

This week a new £5 coin will be issued to mark Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II becoming our longest reigning monarch on 9th September.

One of the very first coins has been issued by Jersey and I’ve been given exclusive access to go behind-the-scenes for the blog.

The new £5 coin has been designed by Timothy Noad, whose work has featured on many UK coins over the years. He has even designed the Gold Sovereign twice, an unprecedented honour which is testament to his passion and understanding of numismatic art.

This passion shows through in his design for the new £5 coin. Featuring an Oak Tree and the Royal Cipher surrounded by the inscription ‘1952 – Long to Reign Over Us – 2015’, the coin has a dignified and prestigious presence.  I asked Timothy what gave him his inspiration for the design:

“The oak tree came to mind as an emblem with many relevant associations. The Royal Oak, as well as a popular pub name, is a well-known image and oak branches form part of the heraldic badge of the House of Windsor.

“It is also a symbol of Britain, endurance and longevity, so very appropriate for the Queen. Shields were hung on trees during medieval tournaments, often held in honour of a Queen or noble lady, and this shield bears the Queen’s personal cipher. I enjoy seeing how my drawings are translated into actual coins and I am very happy with this design.”

coin progression with arrows - The Story Behind the new Longest Reigning Monarch £5 Coin

The process behind the design of the new coin

From Drawing to Finished Coin

But getting from an idea to a struck coin is a time consuming process, a real labour of love.

First of all the design is hand-drawn, and careful consideration has to be given to the shape and size of the engraving so it can be accurately minted. Then the wording has to be laid out, with the added complication of retaining the typesetting within the circular shape.

Finally, the finished drawing is scanned and processed, ready to be made into a die which will eventually be used to produce the commemorative coins you can own.

Limited Edition Versions Available

st lrm cuni c2a35 for c2a35 coin facebook carousel images 3 - The Story Behind the new Longest Reigning Monarch £5 Coin

Detail of the Longest Reigning Monarch £5 Coin design

The most affordable limited edition version of the coin is the Proof Edition, featuring the addition of gold ink. Just 4,950 will be minted and these are sure to be popular.

The coin is also being struck in a range of other formats, from a face value version right up to a staggering 5 ounce gold edition – I’ve held one and its sheer scale took my breath away.

So there’s a type of coin for all collectors – and if there’s one thing I’m sure, it’s that this coin is a truly fitting commemoration of the remarkable reign of Queen Elizabeth II.


lrm cuni proof box - The Story Behind the new Longest Reigning Monarch £5 CoinIf you’re interested…

The Longest Reigning Monarch £5 Proof Coin is available to pre-order now.

***NOW SOLD OUT***

8 Comments

  1. marion rogers on September 3, 2015 at 1:55 pm

    I, too have ordered mine and look forward to receiving it

  2. Mrs Margaret Hill on September 3, 2015 at 11:18 am

    This New Coin is really beautiful and so well made, I am looking forward to owning one.

  3. paul kershaw on September 3, 2015 at 11:05 am

    if the coin is value of 5.00 why is it costing 25.00

    • Robin Parkes on September 3, 2015 at 11:17 am

      Hi Paul, the £25 edition is struck to Proof condition, and it has an edition limit of 4,950. Proof coins take a considerable amount of skill and craftsmanship to produce, they are struck up to four times using specially polished blanks to produce the mirrored background and frosted relief that distinguishes them from normal coins. In fact they are often referred to as ‘the collector’s favourite’ as they show off the design in the best way possible. In many instances the numismatic value of the coin (e.g. its condition and edition limit) outweighs its face value. Just like you can also purchase a silver edition which still has a face value of £5 but retails for £85. Hope this helps, kind regards, Robin.

    • A M on September 3, 2015 at 2:48 pm

      Could be worse. The £5 platinum one from the Royal Mint is £5,000. Not that you’d want to buy the coin here to spend as it’s not legal tender in the UK anyway so the face value is mostly irrelevant. Beautiful collectors piece though.

  4. anncooke on September 3, 2015 at 10:48 am

    Ordered one yesterdaynow i cant wait to see it and fill it

  5. Margaret Brown on September 1, 2015 at 10:29 pm

    Beautiful coin, Just ordered one ,

    • Peter Plumstead on September 3, 2015 at 11:17 am

      This unique opportunity convinces me to order 10 immediately.

Leave a Comment





This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.