| The Very Highest Quality British Crowns... |
| 1996 Seventieth Birthday |
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70 Year History
At 2.40 a.m. on the morning of 21st April 1926, the fair-haired, blue-eyed princess entered the world to the delight of her parents, the Duke and Duchess of York.
At the age of eight the young princess moved with her parents to Royal Lodge, Windsor Great Park, where she was able to indulge her passion for animals and develop her already competent horse riding skills.
On 10th July 1947 the nation rejoiced at the statement from the Palace announcing the betrothal of the Princess Elizabeth to Lieutenant Philip Mounbatten, "to which union The King has gladly given his consent".
On 14th November 1948 Princess Elizabeth gave birth to a 7lb 8 oz boy, later to be christened Charles Philip Arthur George. This joyous occasion gave the monarchy and the public the psychological lift needed in bringing a promise of future stability and hope to a recovering nation.
The Coronation of the Queen on 2nd June 1953 was a ceremony of great pageantry, during which the Duke of Edinburgh spoke these words:
"I Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, do become your liege man of life and limb, and of earthly worship, and faith and truth I will bear unto you".
As Her Majesty the Queen celebrated her seventieth birthday in 1996, so we celebrated a unique and remarkable life.
After becoming Heir Presumptive at the tender age of nine, the young Princess Elizabeth was schooled in the duties and responsibilities required of a future monarch. Her true appreciation of this role was to be highlighted in a radio broadcast on her twenty-first birthday, when she made a commitment that has since become famous:
"I declare before you that my whole life, whether it be long or short, shall be devoted to your service, and the service of our great Imperial Commonwealth to which we all belong".
Since then, many changes have taken place in the world: the announcement that Everest had been conquered was made on the morning of her Coronation; the first supersonic flight was made by Concorde; man conquered the ties of the earth and set foot in the moon; and the first test tube baby was born.
During this time, the Queen has also seen no fewer than nine Prime Ministers starting with Winston Churchill, and has developed an enormous wealth of experience and knowledge.
What has remained constant, however, is the unfaltering dedication the Queen has devoted and still devotes to her many roles, both at home and in the Commonwealth. In addition to her constitutional role, the Queen is also the most recognisable symbol of Britain and represents the national conscience both at home and abroad. It is an awesome burden, and one which requires her private life to be carefully separated from her public duties.
It has been said that if Buckingham Palace is her office, then Windsor is very much the Queen's home. As the mother of four children and the grandmother of six, the Queen also places a great deal of importance on her role as head of the family. The traditional family Christmas and New Year celebrations now take place at the Sandringham estate, while Balmoral is normally reserved for the summer holidays, where the Queen and her family can relax totally in the tranquillity and beauty of the Scottish Highlands.
Off-duty, the Queen is primarily a country woman with countryside interests. During these times of quiet domesticity, walking, shooting, fishing and horse riding are just some of the recreational activities the Queen may enjoy. Inheriting the royal racing stables in 1952 enabled the Queen, who was already a competent rider, to indulge her tremendous love and enthusiasm for horses. Her great passion for this most noble of animals is renowned, as is her incredible knowledge of bloodlines and expertise in breeding them, all of which have brought her respect and acclaim throughout the world. It is undeniably, therefore, a lifetime of service and devotion to duty that is commemorated by the special issue of a seventieth birthday crown.
Milestones in the Life of Her Majesty the Queen
| 21st April 1926 | Born at 17 Bruton Street, Mayfair, London. |
| 12th December 1936 | Becomes Heir Presumptive. |
| 22nd July 1939 | Meets Prince Philip of Greece for the first time during a family holiday. |
| 21st April 1947 | Celebrates her 21st birthday in South Africa and dedicates her life to Britain and the Commonwealth. |
| 10th July 1947 | The King announces the engagement of Princess Elizabeth to the now Lieutenant Philip Mountbatten, RN. |
| 20th November 1947 | Marries Lieutenant Philip Mountbatten at Westminster Abbey. |
| 14th November 1948 | Gives birth to her first son, Charles Philip Arthur George. |
| 15th August 1950 | Gives birth to her second child, Anne Elizabeth Alice Louise. |
| 6th February 1952 | Accedes to the throne, aged 25. |
| 4th November 1952 | Attends her first State Opening of Parliament as Queen. |
| 2nd June 1953 | Crowned Queen Elizabeth II at Westminster Abbey. |
| 19th February 1960 | Gives birth to her second son, Andrew Albert Christian Edward. |
| 10th March 1964 | Gives birth to her fourth child, Edward Antony Richard Louis. |
| 1st July 1969 | Invests Prince Charles as Prince of Wales. |
| 20th November 1972 | The Queen and Prince Philip celebrate their silver wedding anniversary. |
| 7th June 1977 | Silver Jubilee of her accession to the throne. |
| 15th November 1977 | First grandchild born, master Peter Philips, son of Princess Anne. |
| 13th June 1987 | Bestows the title of Princess Royal on Princess Anne. |
| 6th - 8th May 1995 | Leads the 50th anniversary of VE Day celebrations in London. |
| 21st April 1996 | Celebrates her 70th birthday. |
Obverse:
The third portrait of the Queen facing right, designed by Raphael Maklouf.
ELIZABETH II DEI GRATIA REGINA F D
FIVE POUNDS
Reverse:
For the reverse Avril Vaughan created a design that relates directly to the Queen herself.
Windsor Castle, her Royal residence in Berkshire, forms a fitting backdrop to the Royal Standard, the Union Flag, and the Queen's personal flag.
The two accompanying pennants bear the anniversary dates 1926 and 1996, while the edge inscription VIVAT REGINA ELIZABETHA, besides wishing the Queen a long life, recalls the anthem sung at her Coronation more than forty years ago.
There is no reverse legend.
Edge
The edge is inscribed in incuse lettering:-
VIVAT REGINA ELIZABETHA
Specifications
| Version | Diameter | Weight | Alloy | AMW | Issue |
| Uncirculated | 38.61 | 28.28 | Cupro-nickel | 2,396,100 | |
| Silver Proof | 38.61 | 28.28 | 0.925 Silver | 0.8410 | 70,000 |
| Gold Proof | 38.61 | 39.94 | 0.917 Gold | 1.1775 | 2,500 |
For Sale
Selected Uncirculated
| Quantity | Rate | Buy |
| 1 | £8.00 |
|
Uncirculated Specimen in Folder
| Quantity | Rate | Buy |
| 1 | £11.00 |
|
Silver Proof
| Quantity | Rate | Buy |
| 1 | £30.00 |
|
Gold Proof
For the gold proof version, please see our Tax Free Gold website.
See also our British Coin Sets page.
Postage & Packing:
UK: At buyer's Risk £3.50 or
Fully Insured £9 (Usually by Royal Mail Special Delivery)
USA: Airmail at buyer's risk $10 or
Fully Insured $20
For further details, please see our Postage & Packing page.
Order Form - UK
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| ...at the Lowest Possible Price |
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