News:

Sign up for the monthly zoom events by sending a PM with your email address to Hitesh

Main Menu

25p - The British Crown - Part 2.

Started by UK Decimal +, October 31, 2009, 11:37:51 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

UK Decimal +

The subject of the British Crown coin is continued here from the Pre-decimal section.

I will be illustrating all four years, 1972, 1977, 1980 and 1981.

Bill.
Ilford, Essex, near London, England.

People look for problems and complain.   Engineers find solutions but people still complain.

UK Decimal +

1972 Silver Wedding

7,452,100 issued to circulation standard and 150,000 in Proof.   Obverse shows the Queen with the usual lettering.   The reverse is 'The initials EP on a background of foliage, figure of Eros above the royal crown' and is worded ELIZABETH AND PHILLIP 20 NOVEMBER 1947 – 1972.   Obverse and reverse are by Arnold Machin.   The edge has standard graining but the coin does not display a value although it is twenty-five New Pence which is the exact decimal equivalent of five Shillings.

Bill.
Ilford, Essex, near London, England.

People look for problems and complain.   Engineers find solutions but people still complain.

UK Decimal +

1977 Silver Jubilee

37,061,160 issued to circulation plus 193,000 Proofs.   Obverse shows the Queen on horseback (side-saddle) and includes the year.   The reverse shows 'The Ampulla and Anointing Spoon encircled by a floral border and above a Royal Crown'.   Both sides are by Arnold Machin.   The edge is grained.   The value is not shown.

Bill.
Ilford, Essex, near London, England.

People look for problems and complain.   Engineers find solutions but people still complain.

UK Decimal +

1980 Queen Mother's 80th Birthday

9,306,000 issued, all to circulation.   Obverse shows the Queen by Arnold Machin with relevant wording.   Reverse by Richard Guyatt is 'In the centre a portrait of the Queen Mother surrounded by bows and lions with the inscription QUEEN ELIZABETH THE QUEEN MOTHER 4 AUGUST 1980'.   The edge is grained.   The value is not shown.

Bill.
Ilford, Essex, near London, England.

People look for problems and complain.   Engineers find solutions but people still complain.

UK Decimal +

#4
1981 Royal Wedding

26,773,600 issued, all to circulation.   Obverse shows the Queen by Arnold Machin with relevant wording.   Reverse by Philip Nathan shows 'Portrait of The Prince of Wales and Lady Diana Spencer with the inscription HRH the Prince of Wales and Lady Diana Spencer 1981'.   The edge is grained.   The value is not shown.

Bill.
Ilford, Essex, near London, England.

People look for problems and complain.   Engineers find solutions but people still complain.

UK Decimal +

#5
I've been able to add the final illustrations and Part 2 of the series on the British Crown, with a value of 25p, is now complete.   The value is not shown on any of these four coins.

Part 3 will follow shortly covering the £5 coins.   I hope that the series is proving informative.

Bill.
Ilford, Essex, near London, England.

People look for problems and complain.   Engineers find solutions but people still complain.

MS

Great pictures. Thanks for the upload. It was great to see these in person as well :)

Galapagos

We see here how the crown came increasingly to be regarded as commemorating events relating to "The Crown". I wonder if that semantic connection was deliberate? It is a tradition that has continued with what I shall call "the successor to the crown", that is, the five pound coin, which is also crown-sized and also not intended to be a regular circulation coin.

Thank you for putting these in context, Bill, and I look forward to your part 3.


UK Decimal +

Quote from: Ice Torch on November 03, 2009, 03:11:33 PM
We see here how the crown came increasingly to be regarded as commemorating events relating to "The Crown". I wonder if that semantic connection was deliberate? It is a tradition that has continued with what I shall call "the successor to the crown", that is, the five pound coin, which is also crown-sized and also not intended to be a regular circulation coin.   ...

What is also interesting although not readily apparent is that only 'true royalty' seems to have had proof issues.   As soon as I get a chance, I'll prepare charts which will illustrate this point.   Part 3 will include this information which is something that I've only noticed after posting the first two parts.

Bill.
Ilford, Essex, near London, England.

People look for problems and complain.   Engineers find solutions but people still complain.

translateltd

Quote from: UK Decimal + on November 03, 2009, 03:25:26 PM
What is also interesting although not readily apparent is that only 'true royalty' seems to have had proof issues.   As soon as I get a chance, I'll prepare charts which will illustrate this point.   Part 3 will include this information which is something that I've only noticed after posting the first two parts.

Bill.


Not sure that "all to circulation" applies strictly to the 1980 and 1981 crowns - firstly there were numerous examples in collector packs and hard plastic cases, which were clearly for the collector or souvenir market, and I also believe there were silver proof versions of both.  I don't think there were proof versions in Cu-Ni, though.


UK Decimal +

I can give details of quantities issued in various grades of minting; these figures are taken from various sources including the Royal Mint website.   Comments like 'all to circulation' in prevoius postings relate to the standard of manufacture and not the method of distribution.   Please note again that 'Circ' is the standard to which the coins were produced.

1972 Silver Wedding                       Circ  7,452,100.  Proof  150,000. BU  None. Silver proof  100,000.

1977 Silver Jubilee                         Circ 37,061,160.  Proof  193,000. BU  None. Silver proof  377,000.

1980 Queen Mother's 80th Birthday   Circ  9,306,000.  Proof None.      BU  None. Silver proof    83,670.   

1981 Royal Wedding                       Circ 26,773,600.  Proof None.      BU  None. Silver proof  218,140.

Note that only the true 'Royal' ones had base-metal proofs issued.

If anyone has any different information I shall be glad to know the source so that the correct figures can be listed, both here and in future topics.

Bill.
Ilford, Essex, near London, England.

People look for problems and complain.   Engineers find solutions but people still complain.

tonyclayton

Thank-you for posting mintages.  I have avoided doing so on my website as these figures do not always reflect the number actually made, but in the case of the crown-sized coins I would expect them to be more accurate.

UK Decimal +

Thank you Tony.   What I am attempting to do is drag all available information together and present it as a series.   I aim to cover all denominations of decimal coins as a series.

The mintage figures are taken from whatever source is available although I feel that some figures (especially for Proofs/BU) might be the maximum authorised and not the actual quantity struck.   I shall be contacting the Royal Mint on this as the series progresses.

As usual, any additional information would be appreciated, together with the source if possible, so that I can include similar information as the series progresses.   I hope that other members find it interesting.

Bill.
Ilford, Essex, near London, England.

People look for problems and complain.   Engineers find solutions but people still complain.