1996 Silver Proof £5 Set - 70th Birthday/1997 Golden Wedding

UNITED KINGDOM SILVER PROOF TWO-COIN SET

1997 GOLDEN WEDDING CROWN AND 1996 SEVENTIETH BIRTHDAY CROWN

The crown piece has long been a favourite of collectors and during the twentieth century has become the coin traditionally chosen to commemorate royal occasions.  The Royal Mint is proud to present, in this splendid set, two exquisite silver Proof crowns, each one celebrating a significant moment in the life of Her Majesty the Queen.

1997 Golden Wedding Crown - On 20th November 1947, Princess Elizabeth married the newly created Duke of Edinburgh, the wedding taking place within the historic walls of Westminster Abbey.  Now, fifty years on, the Queen and Prince Philip celebrate their golden wedding anniversary.  The obverse of this magnificent commemorative crown bears elegant profile portraits of the royal couple by Philip Nathan,  The reverse, designed by Leslie Durbin and modelled by Philip Nathan, carries the respective Arms of the royal couple together with a crown, and an anchor symbolising Prince Philip's naval career.

1996 70th Birthday Crown - Commemorating the seventieth birthday of Her Majesty the Queen on 21st April 1996, the reverse of this splendid crown, by Avril Vaughan, features the Royal Standard, the Union Flag, the Queen's personal flag and two pennants bearing the anniversary dates 1926 and 1996 set against the backdrop of Windsor Castle, the Queen's residence in Berkshire. The edge inscription VIVAT REGINA ELIZABETHA recalls the anthem sung at Her Majesty's Coronation more than forty years ago. The obverse depicts the familiar portrait of the Queen by Raphael Maklouf.

Specifications

These magnificent legal tender coins have been struck to the highest Proof standard in sterling (.925) silver, using carefully selected blanks and specially prepared dies.  They each weigh 28.28 grammes and measure 38.61 millimetres in diameter.

Only 500 of these magnificent sets will be made availble worldwide, with the coins having being taken from within their original specified maximum mintage limit.

The coins are housed in their original case with certificates of authenticity/information booklet as issued by the Royal Mint.