Queen’s 95th birthday to be marked by new coin

Business

The Queen’s 95th birthday will be celebrated on one of five new commemorative coins released this year.

The Queen, who will become the first British monarch to reach the age of 95 on 21 April, will have her birthday celebrated with a new £5 coin.

The issue of a £5 coin is usually reserved for special royal occasions.

The coin features the royal cypher “EIIR”, and the words “my heart and my devotion”, referencing part of her 1957 Christmas broadcast.

During the speech the Queen said: “In the old days the monarch led his soldiers on the battlefield and his leadership at all times was close and personal.

“Today things are very different. I cannot lead you into battle, I do not give you laws or administer justice, but I can do something else, I can give you my heart and my devotion to these old islands and to all the peoples of our brotherhood of nations.”

The new collection for 2021 also includes:

More from Queen

  • A £2 coin celebrating the 250th anniversary of the birth of Scottish novelist Sir Walter Scott, recognised as one of the most influential Scots in history due to his contribution to literature
  • A £2 coin commemorating the 75th anniversary of the death of science fiction author HG Wells, who wrote classic science fiction novels such as The Time Machine and The War Of The Worlds
  • A 50p coin celebrating the 50th anniversary of decimalisation, when Britain’s modern coins were first introduced
  • A 50p coin commemorating the 75th anniversary of the death of the inventor John Logie Baird, famous for his early prototypes of the television

Clare Maclennan, of the consumer division at The Royal Mint, said: “This year’s annual set is particularly special for The Royal Mint as we celebrate one of the biggest milestones in our 1,100-year history – the anniversary of decimalisation.

“This was one of the largest and most intensive public awareness campaigns ever staged by the government and introduced the coins that we know today.

“Decimalisation was the birth of modern coin collecting and it is fitting that the anniversary has been celebrated on a 50 pence, which is Britain’s most loved coin.”

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