Gold Crown Commemorates Queen's Diamond Wedding Anniversary

The royal couple were married on 20th November 1947, and to celebrate sixty years of marriage a rare conjoint image of the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh features on the Royal Mint's limited issue precious metal coins.

The conjoint portrait, by renowned sculptor and medallist Ian Rank-Broadley was created after a number of private sittings with the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh. The privileged position allowed Mr Rank-Broadley to observe the couple at close proximity, creating this unique and skilfully designed image for the Diamond Wedding Crown.

Mr Rank-Broadley comments:

The sittings allowed me to experience the easy and relaxed conversation of the Queen and the Duke and gave me an opportunity to observe the animation and expression of their faces.

The elegant reverse of the coin was designed by Royal Mint engraver Emma Noble, who took inspiration from the beautiful and intricate rose window at Westminster Abbey where the Queen and Prince Philip were married. This is the first time that one of Emma's designs will appear on a United Kingdom coin and she comments:

When coming up with the design, I decided to look back to the beginning of the marriage and to Westminster Abbey. I started by sketching several features of the Abbey but became focussed on the rose window, for me it was the one element that really stood out and was easily recognisable. I am thrilled that my design has been chosen to commemorate such an important occasion in British Royal history.

The double-portrait on the obverse of the coin is particularly notable as it is one of only a handful of conjoint images ever to appear on the Royal Mint's coins. All previous double-portraits have marked Royal occasions and the last double-effigy featured was to celebrate Her Majesty the Queen and His Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh's Golden Wedding Anniversary in 1997.