RELEASED TODAY: Don’t miss out on these Precious Metal Platinum Jubilee 50ps…

There’s no doubt that Her Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee is going to be the most collectable Royal theme for many years to come…

And today, a BRAND NEW range of Precious Metal 50p coins have been released to mark this once in a lifetime event.

With tiny edition limits across the range, collectors will be rushing to secure these brand new issues. With the standout being the WORLD’S FIRST Double Diameter Gold Proof 1oz 50p Coin! 

Never before have collectors seen this, which is why this issue is sure to be in extremely high demand

Just watch the video below to find out everything you need to know about these brand new releases…


If you’re interested…

AT Platinum Jubilee Precious Metal 50p Range Launch 15 1024x386 - RELEASED TODAY: Don't miss out on these Precious Metal Platinum Jubilee 50ps...

Click here to view the full range of Platinum Jubilee Precious Metal 50ps >>

How Elizabeth II became our Queen overnight: 8 facts you may not know about Her Majesty

Today marks Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee, commemorating 70 years on the throne. Ruling for longer than any other British Monarch, Her Majesty becomes the first ever Sovereign to reach this incredible milestone.

She has become a constant and reassuring figure for the UK and Commonwealth, and her devotion to the throne is something we can all commend.

640px Elizabeth II greets NASA GSFC employees May 8 2007 edit - How Elizabeth II became our Queen overnight: 8 facts you may not know about Her Majesty
Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. Source: Wikimedia Commons

On the 6th February 1952, the Queen’s father, King George VI, sadly passed away. He became King unexpectedly in December 1936, after his brother’s abdication.

He served 16 years on the throne before his weakening health and failure to recover from a lung operation saw his passing at the age of 56.

At the time of his death, the Queen was in Kenya on a tour of the Commonwealth. Her trip was cut short and she returned to Britain with husband, Philip. Overnight, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, aged 25, became the first Sovereign in more than 200 years to accede to the throne whilst abroad. Since then, Her Majesty has ruled for an inspirational 70 years.

In recognition of this poignant anniversary year, I have gathered some fascinating facts about Her Majesty which I am excited to share with you.

Continue reading to discover more…

1. Her Majesty has the final say over new bills made in the Act of Parliament.

By royal assent, the Queen formally agrees to make a bill into an Act of Parliament once it has completed all the necessary parliamentary stages. Since her accession in 1952, over 3000 Acts of Parliament have been given Royal assent by the Queen.

2. Queen Elizabeth II owns the rarest Pink Diamond in the world.

Given to her as a wedding present in the 1950’s, the Williamson Pink Diamond weighs a mighty 54.50 Carats. The diamond was set into a flower brooch by Cartier jewellers and was completed the same year that Her Majesty became Queen.

3. Doesn’t need a passport or driving licence.

All driving licences and passports in the UK are issued in the name of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, meaning that she doesn’t actually need either one herself. When she worked within the Auxiliary Territorial Service in World War Two, the Queen learnt to drive but never needed to take a test legally!

4. The Queen cannot be prosecuted!

The Queen, as the Sovereign, is free from all and any legal proceedings taken against her. Having said this, Her Majesty still follows the law carefully.

5. The Queen always pours her tea before her milk

It is known that the Queen has a cup of tea every morning before her breakfast. But did you know that it’s believed she pours her boiling hot water into the cup before her milk?

Historically, it was believed that only teacups made from fine bone China could sustain the heat of boiling water without cracking. For teacups made from arguably cheaper material, it was recommended that you pour milk in first, to reduce the temperature.

Therefore, the type of teacup you owned, would determine the method in which you made your cup of tea!

Do you pour the brewed water or milk first? Let us know in the comments!

6. Her Majesty is believed to have owned over 30 Corgi dogs!

Over the years, The Queen is believed to have owned over 30 dogs of the Corgi breed. Her first puppy, Susan, was considered to have kick-started Her Majesty’s love for dogs.

As of today, she remains the patron of the Dogs Trust Dog Welfare organisation!

7. The Queen has visited over 265 overseas territories during her reign!

Although Queen Victoria ruled over 70 territories, she never left Europe! In contrast, Queen Elizabeth II owns the title of the most-well travelled monarch in history.

Having travelled to over 265 official overseas territories during her reign, it’s fair to describe Her Majesty as a bit of a jetsetter!

8. The Queen ‘owns’ a Marks & Spencer’s (M&S) and a McDonalds?

In 2015, the Banbury Gateway Shopping Park opened, built on a piece of land belonging to the Crown Estate.

For the duration of the reigning monarch, ownership of the Crown Estate falls to them, meaning Queen Elizabeth II technically owns all that is built on the land. Which means the M&S and McDonalds, amongst other buildings in the park, is technically owned by her.

Have you learnt anything new today? I certainly have!

From a young girl who didn’t expect to become Queen, Her Majesty’s 70-year reign is very impressive, and she is an awe-inspiring figure across the world.

If you’re interested…

To mark Her Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee, we are giving three lucky collectors the chance to win one of the BRAND NEW British Isles Platinum Jubilee BU 50p Sets.

Watch the video below to find out how to enter!


Or if you just can’t wait, all three British Isles Platinum Jubilee BU 50p Sets are available to purchase here >>

AT Platinum Jubilee 50p Sets Images V2 6 1 - How Elizabeth II became our Queen overnight: 8 facts you may not know about Her Majesty

Britain through the reign of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II: Part 3

LOHAG Blog Hero Image - Britain through the reign of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II: Part 3

The Land of Hope and Glory Collection tells the story of Britain through the reign of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

Britain goes Decimal…

On the morning of the 15th February 1971, Britons woke up with a brand new currency following increasing global pressure to go Decimal. In one of the biggest changes to our currency in 1000 years, we left behind the old Pounds (£), Shillings (/-) and Pence (d) system and introduced the decimalised coins that we know today.

Under the new system, the Pound was retained, but was divided into 100 new pence rather than 20 shillings (or 240 pence). And to help the public get used to this major change, new Decimal coins, training stamps and conversions charts were all made available to the public ahead of Decimal Day.

Do you still have any of the old pre-Decimal coins? Let us know in the comments

LOHAG 650X650 RESIZED - Britain through the reign of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II: Part 3
Britain went Decimal on 15th February 1971, the day would be widely known as “Decimal Day” or “D-Day”.

First Test Tube Baby

On 25th July 1978, a five-pound baby girl named Louise Joy Brown was born in Lancashire. As the first baby to be conceived through in vitro fertilisation (IVF), Louise’s birth made headlines and she became known around the world as the first “test tube baby”. A few years later, Louise’s younger sister Natalie was born, also via IVF. And in 1999, Natalie became the first mother born through IVF to give birth – without IVF.

Patrick Steptoe, Robert Edwards and Jean Purdy, the pioneering medical professionals who were involved in Louise’s birth were awarded a Nobel Prize in Medicine for their life-changing work. As of 2022, it has been estimated that over eight million babies worldwide have been conceived via IVF

The Home Computing Boom

1980s Britain saw a boom in home computing and a drastic change in public opinion towards the technology. Once seen as complex machinery used only by scientists and large organisations, computers were rare and most people would have never seen a computer in real life…

Fantastic machines like the Acorn Electron, Commodore 64 and Sinclair ZX Spectrum were developed to make computing user-friendly for the first time and to bring the wonders of information technology into homes, schools and workplaces.

Technology would continue to advance throughout the decade, as the home computing boom caused an unexpected growth in video gaming and by 1989 a British scientist, Tim Berners Lee, conceived and developed the World Wide Web.

LOHAG 650X650 RESIZED 1 - Britain through the reign of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II: Part 3
The most common use for Home Computers in the 1980s were playing video games. Simple arcade favourites like Pacman and Space Invaders were cloned for the machines.

The Wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer

Described at the time as a “fairytale wedding”, Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer were married at St Paul’s Cathedral on 29th July 1981. The event was watched by a record-setting global television audience of 750 million, all eager to see Diana’s wedding dress which was one of the best kept secrets of the fashion industry at the time.

Were you one of the 750 million to watch?

The wedding broke royal protocols and created traditions that we still see during Royal Weddings today. Diana was the first Royal bride to omit the words “obey” from her vows and after forgetting to kiss after their vows, the couple shared a romantic kiss on the balcony of Buckingham Palace. Today, the ‘balcony kiss’ is one of the most iconic moments to take place during a Royal wedding.

The Raising of the Mary Rose

The Mary Rose was lost for over 400 years. She was one of Henry VIII’s warships and a huge team of divers, archaeologists and scientists were involved in her recovery and raising.

The search for the Mary Rose began in 1965, when Alexander McKee began investigating wrecks in the Solent and discovered a strange shape underneath the seabed via sonar scans. Teams of amateur and professional divers explored the area and on 5th May 1971, Percy Ackland found three of the port frames of the Mary Rose.

Nearly 11 years of excavation and careful planning followed and finally, on 11th October 1982, the world watched the raising of the historic Mary Rose…

LOHAG 650X650 RESIZED 2 - Britain through the reign of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II: Part 3
Remembered as one of Henry VIII’s favourite warships, the Mary Rose was used in the First, Second and Third French Wars and capsized during the Battle of the Solent.

If you’re interested…

The Land of Hope and Glory Collection celebrates Britain through the reign of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. And today, you can start the Collection of a Lifetime. Click here to secure the Coronation Medal for FREE >>

Button - Britain through the reign of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II: Part 3

Revisit the historic moments that have shaped Britain through the reign of Queen Elizabeth II with our Land of Hope and Glory blog series:

Click here to read part 1 >>

Click here to read part 2 >>