Elizabeth II, The Coronation Crown Collection

Many collectors don’t realize that many of the 1953 Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Crowns were issued in a black plastic case. It is unusual today to see these coins in those cases; in fact, we would say that the cases are rarer than the crowns. Well as luck would have it, we bought from a coin dealer who is retiring, 100 pieces of the 1953 Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Crown in Brilliant Uncirculated condition in the original black plastic cases they were issued in. We have seen just normal examples offered for as high as £29.50 in the National Press. So we think our price in the original cases is quite a good price. Supplies are limited and once they are gone, we wouldn’t know where to find any more.

It is hard to believe that this crown was issued 67 years ago, but it was, for the Coronation of H.M. Queen Elizabeth II in 1953. It was her first ever Crown and we believe her only real Crown. It was collected yes of course everyone wanted some of the new money, but they were also actually used as money and got circulated. There were NO silver, gold, piedfort or other strikes made of these coins, there were only made in honest, down to earth cupro-nickel. I have been buying them up for years, because I think they are fantastic and underappreciated. It is the time to share my hoard of the First Ever Crown of Queen Elizabeth II with you. They were made in a time when the only coins struck at the mints were coins to be used by the people that day. These Crowns are about as good as you will find anywhere

We found a small number of the 1953 Coronation Crown in Proof condition in stock. These had to come from Proof Sets as they didn’t issue the crown in proof as a single coin. We have heard of some crazy prices that are either being asked for this coin or even sold for. These coins are Proof and that is all we will say about them. Some have a sort of misty toning on them, we do not touch or clean them. They are Proof 1953 Coronation Crowns from a 1953 Proof Set.

In 1953 Queen Elizabeth II had her Coronation, while she had been Queen for almost a year, this made it Official. It is Royal Mint policy only to issue coins for a new Monarch only after their Coronation. So, although Elizabeth became our Queen in 1952, no coins were issued until after her Coronation in 1953 so these were the first official coinage of Queen Elizabeth II. The 1953 coins are one year only coins, as the next year they changed the legend slightly. In the Coronation Proof Set you have the Crown, Halfcrown, Florin, English Shilling, Scottish Shilling, Sixpence, brass Threepence, Penny, Halfpenny and Farthing. The Proof Set comes in a maroon case, but because of the padding used in the cases, the insides are sometimes a bit spotty. The bronze coins may have toned or mellowed but the coins are all in Proof condition, as issued.

In 1953 Queen Elizabeth II had her Coronation and the Royal Mint issued her first-ever Crown, her Coronation Crown. As her Majesty is now 94 years old and this crown is almost 70 years old, it is rather important. 21 years ago because of a promotion by one of the marketing companies, the wholesale price on this crown was £10.00 and at that price, we could have sold thousands if we had them. We have just bought a nice group of the 1953 Coronation Crown in Extremely Fine condition. We are selling them for just £9.95 each which is less than we could have sold them wholesale more than 20 years ago, demand will increase greatly. We sell nothing as an investment, but these are fantastic crowns and fantastic buys. Worth having a few as souvenirs…

In 1953, for the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, the Royal Mint issued new coins with the Queen’s portrait. For the first time ever, they issued all the coins from the Farthing to the Halfcrown in a plastic wallet. So this set became known as the ‘Plastic Set’. You get the Farthing, Halfpenny, Penny, Brass Threepence, Sixpence, English Shilling, Scottish Shilling, Florin, and Halfcrown, all in the plastic wallet as issued. Of course, over the past 65 years the wallet has become a little bit brittle and the coins a little mellowed in toning. They are important one-year type coins and the first coins of H.M. Queen Elizabeth II. But, and this is a very important point, the 1953 coins are all unique type coins. In 1954 they changed the legend and therefore the 1953 coins are all unique one-year type coins. Available here with light toning.

In 1953 Queen Elizabeth II was Crowned at her Coronation Ceremony. Only two countries in the world issued Special Coronation Crowns, two others issued crowns, but they were not special issues. New Zealand and Great Britain were the only two countries to issue Coronation Crowns. In fact it was the only Queen Elizabeth II pre-decimal crown to be issued by New Zealand. Only 250,000 were struck and today it is not easy to find. You have the uncrowned bust of Queen Elizabeth II on one side and a crowned E II R on the other side. The examples that we have on offer are in Uncirculatedcondition. You may have the British issue in your collection, but do you have the New Zealand issue in your collection?