Silver Proof Fifty Pence Two Coin Set

2006 Silver Proof Fifty Pence Two Coin Set

Obverse of Silver Proof Fifty Pence

Reverse of 1992-1993 Silver Proof Fifty Pence Coin

2006 Fifty Pence Gold Proof - Victoria Cross
This year, the Royal Mint has decided to issue two different Fifty Pence coins both to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the Victoria Cross in 1856.

The Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest award for gallantry in the face of the enemy. All who have received it have shown conspicuous bravery, many at the cost of their own lives.
The original idea for the Victoria Cross was proposed by the Duke of Newcastle in 1854 and the Royal Warrant for the creation of the medal was eventually signed by Queen Victoria at Buckingham Palace on 29th January 1856.
The first investiture took place on 26th June 1857 in Hyde Park where crowds gathered ti witness the Queen, mounted on horseback, presenting medals to sailors and soldiers.
The Crimean War had taken place before the Cross was instituted but the earliest awards were made to sailors and soldiers who had fought in that war. Lieutenant Charles Lucas, who was serving the Royal Navy in the Baltic Sea in 1854, was the first person to be awarded the Cross. He received the VC for outstanding courage when he snatched up a live shell that had just landed on the deck of his ship, HMS Hecla, and tossed it overboard, saving the lives of the entire crew.

For Valour
The Victoria Cross was awarded much more regularly in the early years. In total 1,355 awards have been made since 1856. Since 1945 there have only been twelve awarded. The most recent award, announced in 2005, was to Private Johnson Beharry, The Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment.
The Victoria Cross is given without regard to rank, race, colour or creed. All who have received this most prestigious of decorations are highly esteemed for their selflessness and their steadfast devotion to duty.
On the 5th of January 1856, the design of the Cross was approved by Queen Victoria with one amendment to the motto.

...For Valour rather than For the Brave, as this would lead to the inference that only those are deemed brave who have got the Cross.

Reverse
One design "The Award" bears a representation of the Victoria Cross itself, and was designed by Claire Aldridge. The other "The Heroic Acts" pictures a soldier carrying a wounded comrade "in the sort of act which would deserve the award", and was designed by Clive Duncan. An earlier version of this design was rejected by Chancellor Gordon Brown on grounds of taste, possibly because there would be some who would suggest that his stealth taxes had much in common with the rejected design which was similar to the final version, but with the cross hairs of a sniper's rifle sight trained on the back of the VC candidate.

Specifications

Version	Alloy	Weight	Issue
Silver Proof	Silver	13.50 grams	7,500

Prices & Availability

2006 Silver Proof Fifty Pence Two Coin Set

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