£5 coin unveiled ready for the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee

To celebrate Her Majesty The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee next year, the Royal Mint has unveiled the only official UK £5 coin struck to mark the historic occasion, featuring two new and exclusive portraits of the monarch.

Designed by Ian Rank-Broadley FRBS, the first of the new portraits shows a contemporary image of The Queen dressed in formal Garter Robes. The other portrait, inspired by the first portrait of The Queen to appear on coins in 1953, features a young monarch classically depicted, wearing a laurel crown alongside the Latin words ‘Dirige Deus Gressus Meos’ – May God Guide My Steps.

Commenting on the new coin, Kevin Clancy, Director of the Royal Mint Museum, said: “Working with some of the finest artists in Britain, the Royal Mint has captured The Queen’s likeness on the coinage for almost 60 years and in her Diamond Jubilee year we wanted to honour her remarkable achievements with a remarkable coin.”

This news story was first published in the December issue of Collectors Gazette. To see which issues of Collectors Gazette are available to buy online, click here.