Marking 70 years on the throne, the special obverse design, by artist John Bergdahl, depicts The Queen on horseback and will be struck on the ‘heads’ side of a new 50p and traditional £5 crown.

Representing Her Majesty’s fondness of nature, the design is reminiscent of the equestrian designs for the 1953 Coronation and 2002 Jubilee crown pieces and has been personally approved by The Queen.

The collectable 50p bearing the new obverse design – and featuring the number 70 along with The Queen’s cypher designed by Osborne Ross on the opposite side – is available from today from £7 at The Royal Mint.  

As part of the celebrations for Her Majesty’s Jubilee, The Royal Mint is gifting 7,000 coins to children who complete the special Jubilee edition of The Queen’s Green Canopy RFS Junior Forester Award, which aims to inspire young people to learn about the benefit of trees and assist in woodland management in their local community. 

Clare Maclennan, the Royal Mint’s divisional director of commemorative coin, said: “The Platinum Jubilee is an historic occasion and one that is particularly special for The Royal Mint, as the original maker of British Coins for 1,100 years.

“In celebration of this landmark event, the official Platinum Jubilee collection, including the new 50p and traditional £5 crown, features a unique commemorative design on both sides of the coin. Designed by esteemed artists and made with original craftsmanship, Her Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee coins are enduring pieces of art that will be collected, cherished and passed down for generations.”

Chris Barker, museum historian, said: “The Queen’s legacy on coins stretches the length of her momentous reign, with The Royal Mint striking five definitive portraits of Her Majesty on official UK coin and celebrating previous Jubilees. The 1977 Silver Jubilee crown was the first major UK commemorative coin produced at The Royal Mint’s Llantrisant home, after the minting in London ceased in 1975. 

“Roughly thirty-seven million coins were produced at that time, and thousands were gifted to children across the UK as a memento of the occasion. Today’s launch marks another significant milestone, and The Royal Mint plays a proud part in the nationwide celebrations.”