British History
The 50p coins that walked in Nelson’s footsteps
What is the world’s oldest naval ship still in commission?
I’ll give you a clue (beyond the one in the title). It’s now in its 245th year of service.
The answer is HMS Victory, probably the most famous ship in Britain.
I was surprised to hear that she is still part of the Royal Navy’s fleet, having never been officially decommissioned.
HMS Victory has been in dry dock for 101 years, but over 200 years ago, she was the flagship of Vice Admiral Horatio Nelson during the Battle of Trafalgar.
Five-coin set honours HMS Victory for the first time ever
Now, this famous naval vessel is appearing on Silver 50p coins alongside Lord Nelson himself for the very first time as part of a very limited five-coin set.
And our entire edition limit of Silver Proof HMS Victory 50p sets was taken aboard HMS Victory last year and placed in Nelson’s day cabin to soak up centuries of incredible history.
The five 50p designs feature the following:
- HMS Victory at full sail
- The ship’s stern
- Canons at fire
- A portrait of Vice Admiral Horatio Nelson
- Nelson’s final moments
Each coin is struck from .925 Sterling Silver to a Proof finish and features its design in full colour!
And the complete set includes the first ever Lord Nelson 50p coin!
Tiny edition limit: Just 400 sets available
Just 400 Silver Proof sets were available, and we now have less than 20 remaining.
How long can 400 sets possibly last? Especially knowing that they have been aboard Victory…
Click here to secure your Silver 50p Set that has been aboard HMS Victory now >>>
By purchasing one of the HMS Victory Silver 50p Sets you will be helping to maintain this important piece of British naval history. £17.45 from each set sold will be donated to the National Museum of the Royal Navy.
Watch our video below where we explore HMS Victory and discuss this exciting coin set!
You may also be interested in our blog on the HMS Victory Masterpiece Silver 5oz 50p — in a presentation alongside real wood from HMS Victory’s restoration.
King Charles III’s Coronation: everything we know so far…
Buckingham Palace has announced that the coronation of King Charles III will take place on Saturday 6th May, 2023 at Westminster Abbey.
The Archbishop of Canterbury will preside over the anointing in a service that Buckingham Palace have said will be a mix of ancient and modern traditions to “reflect the monarch’s role today and look towards the future”.
Image: Dan Marsh/CC-BY-SA-2.0
King Charles will be 74 at the time of his coronation – making him the eldest new monarch to be crowned.
Camilla, the Queen Consort, will also be crowned as part of the service in a shorter ceremony. She will become the thirtieth consort to be crowned since the Norman Conquest.
What will happen at the Coronation of King Charles III?
This will mark the first coronation in the United Kingdom for nearly 70 years. A young Prince Charles attended the coronation of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, on 2nd June 1953 and it is believed that the new monarch has made adaptations to the ceremony for his own coronation.
Image: Photos from Library and Archives Canada via Wikimedia Commons
Lots of the pageantry and ritual is expected to be retained. Monarchs traditionally sit on a 14th century coronation chair and are officially crowned with St Edward’s solid gold crown.
There is likely to be a procession through London, featuring a Gold State Coach.
And it is expected that the celebration will come to an end with a Buckingham Palace balcony appearance.
How will the world celebrate King Charles’ Coronation?
The coronation will be televised and a potential worldwide television audience of hundreds of millions has been predicted.
It has been confirmed that there will be an extra UK bank holiday to mark the coronation. This is scheduled for Monday 8th May 2023, two days after the service.
If you’re interested…
The King Charles III Coronation Commemorative
Today you can own the BRAND NEW King Charles III Coronation Commemorative for FREE (you’ll only pay postage!) with this introductory offer.
Featuring specially commissioned full-colour artwork, this BRAND NEW King Charles III Commemorative is the perfect way to chronicle His Majesty’s first year as King.
And what’s more, you will gain exclusive access to the Long To Reign Over Us Collection.
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Introductory Offer
The King Charles III Coronation Commemorative is an Introductory Offer for the Long To Reign Over Us Collection. Each month, you’ll receive four commemoratives for £25.00 (+p&p). You’ll also receive your FREE Presentation Album to house your collection. You can cancel your subscription at anytime. Click here to secure yours >>
BBC 50p celebrates 100 years of British History
The recently issued 100 Years of BBC UK 50p proved incredibly popular, with all limited edition presentations selling out within just 2 hours of release.
Did you manage to secure one for your collection?
You can still secure the 100 Years of BBC 50p in Brilliant Uncirculated quality here >>
The British Broadcasting Corporation has provided information, education and entertainment globally for a century. We thought what better way to mark their 100 year anniversary than looking at some of the important events that the BBC has broadcasted.
Queen Elizabeth II Coronation
Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation in 1953 was the first major service to be televised by the BBC. 27 million people in the UK watched the ceremony on television and a further 11 million listened to their radio broadcasts.
Queen Elizabeth II Jubilees
During her incredible 70 year reign, Queen Elizabeth II celebrated many jubilees. Most significantly, her Platinum Jubilee in 2022 was one of the most watched televised events of recent times.
A record breaking 13.4 million people across the UK watched the Platinum Jubilee celebrations on television in June.
You can secure the ultimate Platinum Jubilee souvenir today – the Platinum Jubilee weekend collection. Click here to get yours >>
The six 24 Cart Gold-Plated Commemoratives feature iconic photographic images from the historic weekend celebrations.
The Olympics
The 1948 Olympic Games were held in Wembley, and the BBC televised the games for the first time, screening over 50 hours of coverage during the 2-week event.
When the Olympics returned to London in 2012, the BBC covered all the events and a staggering 51.9 million people – 90% of the population – tuned in.
In 2021, a UK 50p was authorised for release to celebrate Team GB’s participation in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics – which was once again televised by the BBC.
The FA Cup Matches
2022 marked 150 years of the FA Cup. During BBC One’s coverage of The FA Cup final between Chelsea and Liverpool, viewer numbers peaked in the final half hour of the match with 8 million people watching.
To mark the 150th anniversary of the FA Cup, The Royal Mint issued this £2, which sold out in all limited-edition presentations within just HOURS of issue!
Royal Weddings
The marriage of Charles and Diana took place in 1981 and remains one of the most-watched programmes on the BBC, with over 28 million people tuning in to either watch or listen to the coverage.
In 2011, Prince William married Kate Middleton and more than 13.6 million people watched the coverage on BBC One, making theirs the third most-watched Royal Wedding.
Which of these BBC broadcasts do you remember watching or listening to?
Secure the 100 Years of BBC 50p in brilliant uncirculated quality here>>
