Queen Elizabeth’s record-breaking reign is set to be marked with a new £5 coin.
The 90-year-old royal will be honoured by the Royal Mint to mark the 65th anniversary of her accession to the throne and the designer Glyn Davies has opted to shift the crown around on his design so the Blue Sapphire stone is made visible.
He said: "I drew inspiration from the regalia associated with the Queen’s coronation. As opposed to many traditional designs, I’ve rotated the crown to make a feature of the Stuart sapphire.
"I have also included a quotation from Her Majesty’s 21st birthday speech, which makes the design more personal. I used computer-aided design to create the inscription, but sculpted elements of the crown in clay."
The £5 coin has a picture of the monarch on one side whilst on the other side, there is an image of the crown and the words "My whole life, whether it be long or short, shall be devoted to your service" taken from the famous speech the Queen made when she became the monarch.
The Royal Mint has also commissioned a £10 coin, £500 coin and £1,000 coin, which were designed by Gregory Cameron, to mark the occassion.
He said: "The arms in my design are shown in an oval cartouche, surrounded by flourishes that reflect the celebratory mood of the coin.
"The shield is supported by two branches. On the left, as we look at the shield, is the olive branch, a symbol of faithfulness and reconciliation, and on the right, a branch of oak, representing stability and loyalty in service. These are all qualities that we can associate with Her Majesty."
The commemorative £5 coin will be sold for £13 whilst the £1,000 UK gold proof kilo coin has a recommended retail price of £49,995.
Queen’s record-breaking reign marked with commemorative coins
