Description
The complete set of British coins of the Silver Jubilee year 1977, including the commemorative crown issued for the event featuring the prestigious Equestrian Portrait of Queen Elizabeth II, along with all five commemorative stamps issued for the event.
QUEEN ELIZABETH II SILVER JUBILEE OF 1977 CROWN (25 PENCE FACE VALUE)
This commemorative crown is the first jubilee commemorative in the reign of Queen Elizabeth II, and it has a number of distinctive features.
It was struck in base metal and released into circulation for face value of 25p. However, a limited number were also struck in Proof standards and released along with Proof quality versions of all the other coins of 1977. They were sealed in plastic cases that allow both sides of the coins to be viewed at the Royal Mint.
These are the coins included in this set.
The obverse design breaks with tradition in depicting an equestrian portrait of Queen Elizabeth II, as on the Coronation commemorative crown itself. She is shown riding side-saddle as before, on the occasion of the Trooping of the Colour on Horse Guards Parade in that year. However, there are one or two minor differences that together make for a more pleasing portrait. The horse is shown broadside on and in greater detail – altogether more animated, with outstretched tail, not prancing.
The reverse is remarkable as it features no legend at all: within a circle in the centre are depicted the Ampulla and Spoon which are used for the Anointing at the heart of the Coronation ceremony. The ampulla and spoon are older than the other objects of the Regalia, being relics of the articles in use before the Commonwealth, during which the Regalia was destroyed. The inner circle is surrounded by a wide border on which is depicted, at the top, St Edward’s crown as used at the Coronation. The rest of the border is taken up with curving branches bearing the leaves and fruit of the olive tree which spring to left and right from one stem at the foot. (In modern coronations a plain olive oil is used for the Anointing.) Both designs. on the obverse and the reverse, are the work of Arnold Machin.
1977 FIFTY NEW PENCE • DIAMETER 30MM • CUPRONICKEL
This and the other coins in this set are called ‘New Pence’ because they feature that as their legend. This is because when Britain changed to decimal coinage in 1971, to differentiate the new coins from the old ones, they were called ‘new Pence’. This ended in 1983 – after that time our decimal pence became known not as ‘New Pence’ but simply as ‘Pence’.
This coin is also the ‘large’ size – to make the 50p more economical to produce the mint reduced its size in 1997 to 27.3mm – this is the size we now use – and all these larger size 50p coins have been withdrawn.
1977 TEN NEW PENCE • DIAMETER 28.5MM • CUPRONICKEL
When Britain went decimal in 1971 ten ‘new’ pence was equal to 24 ‘old’ pence – the same as two shillings. To assist the changeover, the Ten New Pence coin was made the same size as the old florin (two shilling) coin.
This ended when, to make the 10p more economical to produce the mint reduced its size in 1992 to 24.5mm – this is the size we now use – and all these larger size 10p coins have been withdrawn.
1977 FIVE NEW PENCE • DIAMETER 24MM • CUPRONICKEL
When Britain went decimal in 1971 five ‘new’ pence was equal to 12 ‘old’ pence – the same as one shilling. To assist the changeover, the Five New Pence coin was made the same size as the old shilling coin.
This ended when, to make the 5p more economical to produce the mint reduced its size in 1990 to the tiny 18mm – this is the size we now use – and all these larger size 5p coins have been withdrawn.
1977 TWO NEW PENCE • DIAMETER 25.9MM • BRONZE
The three bronze coins (2p, 1p, and Half p) were minted of bronze until the world price of that metal rose dramatically in 1991 and they had 50% more than their face value worth of this metal. From 1992 onwards they were made of copper-plated steel.
1977 ONE NEW PENNY • DIAMETER 20.3MM • BRONZE
The three bronze coins (2p, 1p, and Half p) were minted of bronze until the world price of that metal rose dramatically in 1991 and they had 50% more than their face value worth of this metal. From 1992 onwards they were made of copper-plated steel.
1977 NEW HALF PENNY • DIAMETER 17MM • BRONZE
As above. The half penny is the smallest British coin ever to circulate at just 17mm diameter. Its purchasing power was very slight and it was last struck in 1984.
STAMPS
1977 SILVER JUBILEE 8½P, 10P, 11P, 13P STAMPS
On the 11th May 1977 a set of four stamps was released to celebrate the Silver Jubilee. They were designed by Richard Guyatt and were heavily influenced by the Silver Jubilee stamps issued for her grandfather, King George V (in 1935).
The design showed a portrait of Elizabeth II wearing a diadem (type of crown) flanked by the ornamental monogram ‘ER’ with the dates 1952 and 1977 at the base of the stamp. All four stamps featured the same design, but with a different ‘base’ colour.
1977 SILVER JUBILEE 9P STAMP
During 1977 the standard rate for a first class mail item increased from 8½p to 9p and so a fifth commemorative Silver Jubilee stamp was released on 15ht June. It was identical to the other four that had been released in May but had a different base colour.
