Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Celebrated with Canadian Silver Coins

The Royal Canadian Mint (www.mint.ca) will commemorate the upcoming celebration of Queen Elizabeth II’s Diamond Jubilee with the release of two new proof silver coins honoring the special occasion. Both the $20 Royal Cypher Diamond Jubilee Silver Coin and the $20 Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip Diamond Jubilee Silver Coin mark the special event with completely unique designs.

 

These limited mintage strikes are each composed of 99.99% pure silver with a diameter of 38mm. Both also feature an effigy of Queen Elizabeth II by Susanna Blunt on their obverse in addition to the reverse design honoring her 60th anniversary as the Queen of England.

Elizabeth assumed the thrown on February 6, 1952 upon the death of her father, King George VI. When the anniversary of her accession to the throne occurs, she will become only the second queen or king of England to achieve sixty years as the monarch (the first being Queen Victoria who was queen from 1837-1901).

$20 Royal Cypher Diamond Jubilee Silver Coin

The $20 Royal Cypher Diamond Jubilee Silver Coin marks the 60th anniversary of the reign of Queen Elizabeth II with a reverse design showcasing her royal cypher. Cyphers are much like a coat of arms and have been used by British Royals since Henry VIII.

Elizabeth’s royal cypher includes her initials E and II (Elizabeth II) followed by the letter R which is short for Regina (Latin for Queen). The initials appear under an image of St. Edward’s Crown which has been used for British royal coronations since Charles II in 1661.

The cypher is surrounded by a wreath or garland of maple leaves indicating the unique link between the Queen and the people of Canada for whom she serves as the Head of State. At the bottom of the wreath is a single maple leaf surrounded by a diamond with the number "60" inscribed at its center.

The Royal Canadian Mint will strike no more than 15,000 of the Royal Cypher Diamond Jubilee Silver Coins to proof quality. Each will come encapsulated and presented in a maroon clamshell case that has been lined with flock and protected by a black sleeve.

In addition to this silver proof Cypher Coin, the Mint has also released a $5 gold version of the coin featuring the same design.

$20 Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip Diamond Jubilee Silver Coin

The Royal Canadian Mint also acknowledges the 60 years of Queen Elizabeth’s reign with the release of the $20 Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip Diamond Jubilee Silver Coin. This strike is considered a double effigy coin as it contains the portrait of Queen Elizabeth II on both sides of the strike.

Elizabeth is joined on the reverse by her husband, Prince Philip. The two were married on November 20, 1947 — four and a half years before she became Queen.

The reverse was designed by Laurie McGaw and is surrounded by the inscriptions of CANADA, 1952-2012, 20 DOLLARS and additional design elements including a shamrock, a (Tudor) rose, and a thistle along with some maple leafs. The first three are representative of the British Isles while the maple leaf, of course, represents Canada.

Like the Royal Cypher Silver Coins, the maximum mintage on these Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip Diamond Jubilee Coins will only be 15,000. Each will also be presented in a maroon clamshell case.

In addition to the aforementioned silver coins, the Royal Canadian Mint is also releasing a 2012 $300 The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Gold Coin. This strike features a unique design of its own including the integration of a genuine diamond into the rim of the coin.

Each of the silver coins may be purchased directly from the Royal Canadian Mint website at  www.mint.ca.

About the Royal Canadian Mint

The Royal Canadian Mint is the Crown Corporation responsible for the minting and distribution of Canada’s circulation coins. An ISO 9001-2008 certified company, the Mint is recognized as one of the largest and most versatile mints in the world, offering a wide range of specialized, high quality coinage products and related services on an international scale.