CORONATION .9999 GOLD TWIN SET TWENTY FIVE POUNDS x 2; STRUCK ON 2nd JUNE 2018 – 65th ANNIVERSARY
The first £25 coin in this set features the most iconic symbols from the Coronation ceremony; the Orb and Sceptre. The cross at the top of the Orb represents the Christ’s dominion over the orb of the world, and it is held in the hand of an earthly ruler. It was first used in an English Coronation for that of Henry VIII in 1509. The orb used today is a hollow gold sphere and was made for Charles II in 1661. Altogether the orb is decorated with 375 pearls, 365 diamonds, 18 rubies, 9 emeralds, 9 sapphires and 1 amethyst.
The second coin depicts a likeness of HM Queen Elizabeth II on horseback; a design inspired by the very first commemorative coin of her reign, the 1953 Coronation Crown. It is considered one of the most famous coins of recent years and drawing inspiration from it for this modern representation seems rather poignant.
