Part 13: Commemoratives In Gold

Since 1972 Jersey has issued many gold coins. Various coins have been issued as gold proof versions of the modern pound and commemorative crown sized coins. Other series starts with a small five or ten pounds coin and progresses through twenty five, fifty and hundred pounds coins.

For a discussion about collecting NCLT see my commemoratives site.



Technical Specifications for Various Jersey Gold Coins
DenominationDiameterWeightFinenessGold Content
Pound 198125 Square17.5500.91660.5174
Pound22.0519.6500.91660.5794
Sovereign22.057.9800.91660.2352
Two/Five Pounds38.6115.9800.91660.4712
Five Pounds142.6200.91660.0772
Ten Pounds 1972174.6400.91660.1368
Ten Pounds16.53.1300.9990.1005
Twenty Pounds229.2600.91660.2729
Twenty Five Pounds 197224.511.9000.91660.3507
Twenty Five Pounds22.007.8100.9990.2509
Fifty Pounds 19723122.6300.91660.6670
Fifty Pounds26.5015.6100.9990.5014
Hundred Pounds33.5031.2100.9991.0025
1972 Set (5 Coins) 51.0500.91661.5044

To see the current pound coins in gold, visit the one pound site.

Sovereign

William the Conqueror

        YEAR    KM       diameter 
        2000    ??         22.00
The year 1066, a date engraved on the minds of generations of schoolchildren, along with the name of William the Conqueror, heralds the beginning of Norman Britain. A portrait of the famous Norman King now graces the reverse of the first gold sovereign ever to be issued by the island of Jersey. The splendid portrait also evokes memories of William's remarkable achievements, and in particular the beginning of construction of the Tower of London. And it was in fact within the surroundings of this formidable fortress that the first English gold sovereigns were struck 500 years ago in the reign of Henry VII. But perhaps William's strength of purpose - and his great legacy - is most evident in the Domesday Book, that remarkable chronicle of Norman England.

A portrait of William the Conqueror, modeled by Robert Elderton, has been chosen to honour a proud Norman heritage on this the first sovereign to be issued by Jersey. The sovereign features Ian Rank-Broadley's portrait of the Queen and is minted in proof.

Five Pounds

25th Silver Wedding Anniversary

        YEAR    KM       diameter 
        1972    39         18.00
The reverse is a white toothed shrew (Crocidura Suaveolens) found in Jersey, Sark, and the Scilly Islands. Tiny (it is only 2.5 inches long), this shrew has prominent ears and fine whitish hairs projecting at right angles from the shorter fur along its tail.


Duke of Wellington

        YEAR    KM       diameter 
        2002    ??         38.61
To commemorate the 150th anniversary of his death, Jersey pays tribute to the first Duke of Wellington with this superb coin struck in gold. The reverse of this splendid crown is a representation of Wellington and his soldiers at the time of the Peninsular War in Spain, designed by Willem Vis. The obverse features the portrait of the Queen by Ian Rank-Broadley. This large gold crown has a limited edition of 200.


Prince William

        YEAR    KM       diameter 
        2003    ??         38.61
In celebration of this remarkable young man, and following the tradition of many other commemorative coins, three splendid Channel Island crowns are to be released in celebration of Prince Williams’s 21st birthday.

Three exquisite gold crown-sized coins combine to make a truly dynamic set celebrating the 21st birthday of a future monarch. The coins, struck in 22 carat gold, are presented in a stylish red case and are accompanied by a numbered Certificate of Authenticity. It attests to the low issue limit of only 200 sets.

Two of these crowns are from Alderney and Guernsey. The design with Prince William wearing a tie is the coin from Jersey.



60TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE D-DAY LANDINGS

        YEAR    KM       diameter 
        2004    ??         38.61
This coin, struck by the Royal Mint, is part of a issue to commemorates the 60th anniversary of the D-Day Landings. The issue consist of three crown sized £5 coins struck in silver proof, brilliant uncirculated base metal and gold. The reverse has been designed by David Cornell, FRSA, FRSB and features the beach landings in great detail. Endorsed by the Royal British Legion the design includes a poppy, which is colored in red on the silver proof coin. The obverse of each coin depicts the popular portrait of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II by Ian Rank-Broadley. This gold crown has a limited edition of 500.


Ten Pounds

25th Silver Wedding Anniversary

        YEAR    KM       diameter
        1972    40         18.00
The reverse is a Bronze Age gold torque found on the island on December 17, 1889, while building of a new house on Lewis Street, St. Helier. This torque was made over 3,000 years ago from a single piece of high quality gold, and is one of the island's greatest treasures. The torque itself comprises a four flanged golden spiral of 141.2 centimeters in length, 1.5 centimeters in diameter, and weighs 24 ounces. No other torques have been found in the Channel Islands but they are associated with Ireland, Britain and France and it may have been a gift from one of these areas. Torques were typically worn around the neck, as jewelry or symbols of office, but this example is more likely to have been worn around the body.


50th Anniversary of Battle of Britain

        YEAR    KM       diameter
        1990    ??         16.50
Jersey issued four gold coins for the 50th anniversary of the Battle of Britain. The first is this ten pounds gold piece.

50th Anniversary of Liberation

        YEAR    KM       diameter
        1995    ??         16.50
The Channel Island of Jersey marked the 50th anniversary of its liberation with a magnificent four-piece gold set struck by the Royal Mint in Wales. Minted in .999 fine gold, the coins were issued with an extremely low mintage of only 500 each. For virtually the whole of World War II, Jersey and the rest of the Channel Islands were under German occupation, their peaceful pre-war existence shattered. The objectives of Operation Overlord and the D-Day landings did not include the immediate liberation of the Channel I slands. It was not until May 9, the day after V-E day, that freedom became a reality for the Bailiwick of Jersey.

Royal Mint engraver Robert Elderton engraved these reverse designs to celebrate the end of German occupation. The ten pounds coin depicts a Red Cross ship bringing supplies to Jersey immediately after liberation.


Twenty Pounds

25th Silver Wedding Anniversary

        YEAR    KM       diameter 
        1972    41         22.50
The reverse is an ormer (Haliotis Tuberculata) which is peculiar to the Channel Islands. The ormer is an edible gastropod mollusc and a great delicacy. It often grows 4 inched in length and can be as much as two to three inches wide. Its single shell is ear shaped. The word "Ormer" seems to be a local contraction from the French Oreille de Mer. The ormer is scarcely known outside the Channel Islands. It clings to rock with its back and the shell, distinctively perforated and lined with mother of pearl, covering the belly.


Twenty Five Pounds

25th Silver Wedding Anniversary

        YEAR    KM       diameter     
        1972    42         25.00
The reverse is the Royal Arms of Queen Elizabeth I. The arms of Queen Elizabeth I above the main gate of Elizabeth Castle are cut in a block of close-grained granite. The castle, built in the Queen's reign, lies on an islet in St. Aubin's Bay. Charles, Prince of Wales (later King Charles II of England) twice resided in the castle -- 16 April to 25 June 1646 and 17 September 1649 to 13 February 1650 -- while living in exile after the English Civil War. After his departure, the castle was besieged and finally occupied by Parliamentary troops and continued as a barracks for an English garrison until the early 20th century.


50th Anniversary of Battle of Britain

        YEAR    KM       diameter
        1990    ??         22.05
The second of four gold coins issued for the 50th anniversary of the Battle of Britain is this twenty five pounds gold piece.


50th Anniversary of Liberation

        YEAR    KM       diameter
        1995    ??         22.05
As the second coin in the four coin Liberation Anniversary set, the twenty five pounds coins shows islanders waving the flags of Jersey and Britain.


Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fund

        YEAR    KM       diameter     
        2002    ??         38.61
This coin pays tribute to how much Diana achieved in her lifetime and highlights the continuing work of her Memorial Fund today. Her work with some of the most vulnerable people and her support for major international issues, most famously the global landmine problem, is carried forward today by Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fund.

The elegant reverse design is by the medallist and sculptor Avril Vaughan ARBS, PSNAD, noted, among other things, for designing the reverse of the coin issued to commemorate Her Majesty the Queen’s seventieth birthday in 1996.


Golden Jubilee

        YEAR    KM       diameter     
        2002    ??         22.05   2500
The Queen's Golden Jubilee has been the most genuinely celebrated royal occasion in British history, with scenes of such jubilation as to stay with you forever. This coin from Jersey has been struck by the British Royal Mint to Proof quality in a full 1/4 oz of 22 carat gold. The reverse, designed by Robert Evans who is a senior engraver at the Royal Mint, was inspired by Her Majesty's Coronation Procession with proud ranks of beefeaters and ladies-in-waiting.


Fifty Pounds

25th Silver Wedding Anniversary

        YEAR    KM       diameter     
        1972    43         31.00
The reverse design on this coin is the Arms of the Bailiwick. The Arms of the Bailiwick of Jersey are derived from the Royal Arms of England on the seal given to the Bailiff in 1279 by King Edward I for the authentication of documents. In time, and without authority, the Bailiwick adopted the Royal Arms (three golden lions passant guardant in pale on a red background) as its own. King Edward VII regularised this in 1907. The arms are on the reverse of all pre-decimal coins issued by the States of Jersey.


50th Anniversary of Battle of Britain

        YEAR    KM       diameter
        1990    81         26.50
This 50 pounds gold coin was also issued for the 50th anniversary of the Battle of Britain and has a mintage of 500 pieces. The Royal Air Force Motto "Per Ardua ad Astra" dates back to 1912 and the formation of the Royal Flying Corps. The motto can be translated as"Through Struggles to the Stars".


50th Anniversary of Liberation

        YEAR    KM       diameter
        1995    95         26.50
The third coin in the liberation anniversary set, the fifty pounds coin, has an islander welcoming the liberating forces. Only 500 coins were minted.


One Hundred Pounds

50th Anniversary of Battle of Britain

        YEAR    KM       diameter
        1990    ??         33.50
This 100 pounds gold coin issued for the 50th anniversary of the Battle of Britain is very similar to the two, five, and twenty five pounds coins.

50th Anniversary of Liberation

        YEAR    KM       diameter
        1995    ??         33.50
The last coin in the liberation anniversary set, the one hundred pounds coin, details a map of Jersey with the dove of peace.
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