Royalty
A History of Queen Elizabeth II on Coins
From the post boxes on the street to the change in our pockets, each day we are reminded of our late monarch – Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II (1926 – 2022).
And, with 29 billion individual coins in circulation in the UK – the majority of which carry an image of Her Majesty – her likeness will forever be etched in our memories and passed down for generations on our coinage.
These very coins offer a window into the past and retell the history of Her Majesty’s 70 year reign through the changing portraits seen on our coinage.
Portraits of the Queen
The Young Queen | 1953 – 67: Mary Gillick
The first coins of Queen Elizabeth’s reign featured Mary Gillick’s portrait of the young Queen, created especially for the new coins in 1953.
The “Decimal Queen” | 1968 – 84: Arnold Machin RA
With the decimalisation of the UK’s coinage on the horizon, it was decided to refresh the Queen’s portrait with Arnold Machin’s new effigy of the Queen. Commissioned in 1964, it first appeared in 1968 on the new 5p and 10p coins.
The Grandmother | 1985 – 97: Raphael Maklouf
Raphael Maklouf aimed “to create a symbol, regal and ageless” when he created the new effigy of Her Majesty. This coincided with the Queen’s early years as a grandmother and depicts Queen Elizabeth II wearing the royal diadem worn on the way to and from the State Opening of Parliament.
Millennium Queen | 1998 – 2014: Ian Rank-Broadley FRBS
As the Millennium approached, a fourth effigy was released onto our coinage, designed by Ian Rank-Broadley. Its larger size filled the full circle of the coin and was a deliberate response to the smaller 5p and 10p coins in circulation. This more mature portrayal of Her Majesty aimed to show the Queen with “poise and bearing”.
The Longest Reigning Monarch | 2015 – 2022: Jody Clark
The final portrait of Her Majesty was introduced in 2015 – the year that the Queen passed Victoria as our longest reigning monarch. It is, of course, that design that will continue to remind us of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II for years to come, as her old currency continues to circulate long after her death.
Special Obverse Designs
Not only will the Queen be remembered for her portraits on coins, but for two very special obverse designs.
The first dates back to the very first coin released for Queen Elizabeth II – her Coronation Crown in 1953. The second was from the 2022 Platinum Jubilee coins.
Both picture the Queen on horseback, celebrating Her Majesty with her greatest love – horses. Surely there can be no better way to remember Her Majesty than through these two great designs. If you’re lucky enough to have either in your collection, let us know in the comments below!
Do you have a favourite coin portrait or obverse design on Her Majesty? Leave a comment to share yours.
Commemorate Her Majesty on Coins
As you can imagine, demand for QE II coinage is at an all-time high.
Don’t miss the chance to fill the gaps in your royalty coin collection here >>
Where can you find the UK Coronation 50ps and how much are they worth?
On 10th August 2023, 5 million UK King Charles III Coronation 50ps entered circulation. Collectors were keen to get their hands on one, with many trying to get them directly from banks and post offices, and some hoping to find one in their change.
We wanted to know where the Coronation 50ps were being found, so we opened our collector map to track them up and down the country. In just over two months, nearly 550 collectors input their postcode to let us know where they found the Coronation 50p, so let’s take a look at where in the UK you’re most likely to find one…
Where can you find the UK Coronation 50ps?
We’ve gathered the data from our collector map, and we can reveal the 5 places you’re most likely to find a Coronation 50p in your change are…
5. Leicester
2.5% of Coronation 50ps were found in Leicester.
4. Norwich
2.6% of Coronation 50ps were found in Norwich.
3. Cardiff
2.8% of Coronation 50ps were found in Cardiff.
2. Derby
2.9% of Coronation 50ps were found in Derby.
1. Birmingham
5.1% of Coronation 50ps were found in Birmingham.
You can view the full collector map here to check how many Coronation 50ps have been found in your area.
How much is the UK Coronation 50p worth?
A common question we get is ‘how much is the Coronation 50p worth?’. Many factors determine the value of a coin, but ultimately it depends on what someone is prepared to pay for it.
We’ve used our eBay Tracker formula to work out how much a circulation Coronation 50p might be worth. As you can see, they are selling on the secondary market for around £2.79, which is a 458% increase from the face value.
So now you know where in the UK you have the highest chance of finding a Coronation 50p in your change, and how much you could expect to pay for one on the secondary market.
Owners of the Coronation 50p also own a small piece of history as it’s the first ever UK Coronation 50p to be issued. If you haven’t had any luck finding the Coronation 50p in your change, you can secure the crowned collectors version in Brilliant Uncirculated quality for just £4.99 (+£2.99 postage) here >>
What’s next for UK coinage?
It’s all change for UK coinage, as we’ve been treated to eight brand new designs that will feature on our everyday coinage! These new UK coins represent British wildlife and conservation, a passion of King Charles III.
Find out more about the UK’s New Coinage here or to secure the complete New UK Coinage set for your collection, click here >>
Demand Surges for King Charles III Coin Sets
It’s an exciting time in the collecting world, with many ‘firsts’ to look forward to as we enter a new era of King Charles III coinage.
From the first ever King Charles III portrait featuring on our coins, to the UK’s first ever Coronation 50p, there’s already been some remarkable milestones celebrated on the coins you can find in your change.
These issues will undoubtedly become increasingly sought-after in years to come. But demand for King Charles III coins is already proving to be high!
In August, the Isle of Man released the FIRST King Charles III Decimal Coin Set – including all seven of their decimal coins, which lucky islanders will be able to find in their change.
Isle of Man Manx Wildlife Set
I knew these coins would be popular, but I was shocked at just how quickly we sold through our allocation… In fact, all our stocks had completely sold out in just a few days!
Popularity for the first full King Charles III coin set has certainly got us thinking about what could lie ahead for UK coins and just how high the demand might be when we start to see more King Charles coins released.
So far, the 2022 Memoriam 50p and 2023 Coronation 50p have found their way into our change and we released collector maps for both so that Change Checkers can track where across the country these coins are being found.
If you’re lucky enough to have found the new Coronation 50p in your change, make sure you add it to our map here >>
In the meantime, I (like many other collectors) am eagerly awaiting the chance to find more King Charles III coins in my change and build up a new collection.
For almost 70 years, our definitive and commemorative coins have featured the Queen’s portrait, but with a new era of King Charles III coinage upon us, the collecting race begins once again!
Own the Queen Elizabeth II LAST Definitive Coin Set
2022 marked the final year of Her Majesty’s reign and, as such, these 2022 dated definitives coins were the last ever to be issued with the Queen’s portrait on the obverse.