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Five pounds (British coin)

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This article discusses the commemorative British Five Pounds "crown-sized" coin issued since 1990, only. For earlier coins worth Five Pounds, please see the article on the 1826-1990 gold £5.

The commemorative Five Pounds (£5) coin is minted in cupro-nickel, an alloy of approximately 75% copper, and 25% nickel, although special versions are also minted in silver and/or gold. The coin is a continuation of the old Crown coin which continued to be minted after decimalisation with a value of twenty-five pence, although nowhere stating its value. The £5 coin has the same dimensions, weighing 28.28 grams and having a diameter of 38.61 millimetres.

The denomination was introduced in 1990 because the cost of producing such a large coin with a face value of only 25p was becoming too large.

Production of the £5 coin has used both the normal obverses used by all contemporary British coins, i.e. the effigies of Queen Elizabeth II by Raphael Maklouf between 1990 and 1997, and by Ian Rank-Broadley since 1998, but special effigies have also been used on occasion.

The following £5 coins have been produced:

1990: 90th birthday of Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother.
Obverse: Maklouf head. ELIZABETH II DEI GRATIA REGINA F D above FIVE POUNDS below.
Reverse: Crown over two intertwined 'E's, rose & thistle QUEEN ELIZABETH THE QUEEN MOTHER 1900 1990. Milled edge.
1993: 40th anniversary of the Coronation.
Obverse: Small portrait of same design as the 1960 crown, surrounded by trumpeters and swords. ELIZABETH II DEI GRATIA REGINA FID DEF above, FIVE POUNDS below.
Reverse: Crown within 40 radially aligned trumpets FAITH AND TRUTH I WILL BEAR UNTO YOU 1953-1993. Milled edge.
1996: The Queen's 70th birthday.
Obverse: Maklouf head. ELIZABETH II DEI GRATIA REGINA F D above FIVE POUNDS below.
Reverse: Flags flying with Windsor Castle behind. One flag inscribed 1926, another 1996. Also Royal Standard, Union Jack and the Queen's personal flag.
Edge inscription: VIVAT REGINA ELIZABETHA (Long Live Queen Elizabeth)
1997: The Queen's Golden Wedding Anniversary.
Obverse: Conjoined heads of Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip. ELIZABETH II D G REG F D PHILIP PRINCEPS.
Reverse: Royal Arms and Coat of Arms of Prince Philip. St Edward's Crown above and anchor below 20 NOVEMBER 1947 1997 FIVE POUNDS. Milled edge.
1998: The Prince of Wales's 50th birthday.
Obverse: Rank-Broadley head. ELIZABETH II D G REG F D 1998.
Reverse: A portrait of The Prince of Wales against a background relating to the work of The Prince's Trust. FIFTIETH BIRTHDAY OF HRH THE PRINCE OF WALES above, 1948 FIVE POUNDS 1998 below. Milled edge.
1999: Diana, Princess of Wales, memorial issue.
Obverse: Rank-Broadley head. ELIZABETH II D G REG F D 1999.
Reverse: A portrait of Diana, Princess of Wales facing right. IN MEMORY OF DIANA PRINCESS OF WALES around, 1961 1997 to the right, FIVE POUNDS below. Milled edge.
1999: Millennium.
Obverse: Rank-Broadley head. ELIZABETH II D G REG F D 1999.
Reverse: Clock face showing time as midnight. Map of Great Britain and Ireland, arranged so that Greenwich is at the centre of the clock; ANNO DOMINI below, 1999 2000 FIVE POUNDS around.
Inscription: WHAT'S PAST IS PROLOGUE (a quote from Shakespeare)
2000: Millennium.
Obverse: Rank-Broadley head. ELIZABETH II D G REG F D 2000.
Reverse: Clock face showing time as midnight. Map of Great Britain and Ireland, arranged so that Greenwich is at the centre of the clock; ANNO DOMINI below, 1999 2000 FIVE POUNDS around.
Inscription: WHAT'S PAST IS PROLOGUE.
2000: Millennium Dome issue.
Identical to the last issue except for the addition of a mintmark at the 3 o'clock position on the reverse. Sold only at the Millennium Dome, at a premium.
2000: 100th Birthday of Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother.
Obverse: Rank-Broadley head. ELIZABETH II D G REG F D 2000.
Reverse: Portrait of Queen Mother in front of people waving flags, signature Elizabeth R in exergue; outer legend: QUEEN ELIZABETH THE QUEEN MOTHER, inner legend: 1900-2000 FIVE POUNDS.
2001: Queen Victoria death centenary.
Obverse: Rank-Broadley head. ELIZABETH II D G REG F D 2001.
Reverse: Wyon head of Victoria in 'V' representing railway lines with representation of Crystal Palace around. 1901 2001 above, 5 POUNDS to low left. Milled edge.
2002: The Queen's Golden Jubilee.
Obverse: Queen Elizabeth II mounted on a horse. ELIZABETH II DEI GRA REGINA FID DEF AMOR POPULI PRAESIDIUM REG (the love of the people is the Queen’s protection) around, 2002 and coat of arms below.
Reverse: Portrait of the Queen, FIVE POUNDS below. Milled edge.
2002: Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother memorial issue.
Obverse: Rank-Broadley head. ELIZABETH II D G REG F D around FIVE POUNDS below.
Reverse: Portrait of Queen Mother, QUEEN ELIZABETH THE QUEEN MOTHER around. 1900-2002 below.
Inscription: STRENGTH DIGNITY LAUGHTER
2003: Coronation 50th anniversary.
Obverse: New portrait by Tom Phillips CBE RA. ELIZABETH II DEI GRATIA REGINA F D around.
Reverse: Central motif GOD SAVE THE QUEEN, CORONATION JUBILEE FIVE POUNDS 2003 around. Milled edge.
2004 Entente cordiale commemorative coin
2004 Entente cordiale commemorative coin
2004: Entente cordiale.
Obverse: Rank-Broadley head (IRB). ELIZABETH·II D·G·REG·F·D above, FIVE POUNDS below.
Reverse: Fused busts of Britannia and Marianne. 1904 ENTENTE 2004 CORDIALE around. Milled edge.
2005: Bicentenary of the Battle of Trafalgar.
Two £5 coins were issued to commemorate the Battle of Trafalgar, both with the same obverse.
Obverse: Rank-Broadley head (IRB). ELIZABETH·II D·G·REG·F·D above, FIVE POUNDS below.
Reverse (1): Portrait of Admiral Lord Nelson, by James Butler, HORATIO NELSON above the portrait, 1805 to left, 2005 to right of the portrait.
Reverse (2): HMS Victory leading Nelson's fleet into battle, by Clive Duncan.
2006: The Queen's 80th birthday.
Obverse: Rank-Broadley head (IRB). ELIZABETH·II D·G·REG·F·D above, FIVE POUNDS below.
Reverse: Three ceremonial trumpets, VIVAT REGINA above, 1926 to left, 2006 to right.


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