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2023 Canada $20 St. Edward's Crown Fine Silver Coin
It is the revered symbol of royal authority, history and tradition. The centuries-old St. Edward’s Crown is only worn once in a monarch’s reign and only at the very moment of crowning—the moment when the historic headpiece is reverently placed upon the new sovereign’s head, marking the culmination of accession. Its crosses pattée inspired this fine silver coin’s reverse, where the embellishment that resembles the cross is regally plated with gold and adorned with coloured glass stones.
The most hallowed of all the British Crown Jewels and royal regalia, the St. Edward’s Crown is only used on the monarch’s coronation day. It was commissioned for the coronation of King Charles II in 1661 as a replacement for the original crown, which dated back to King Edward the Confessor (hence the name) but was melted down by parliamentarians in 1649. The “new” St. Edward’s Crown is composed of a solid gold frame set with 444 precious and semi-precious stones, including amethysts, aquamarines, garnet, peridot, rubies, topazes, tourmalines and sapphires. Similar to the medieval crown that inspired its design, the St. Edward’s Crown is distinguished by four crosses pattée (like the one featured on the coin), four fleurs-de-lis and gold bead-adorned arches that surround the ermine-trimmed velvet cap.
Heavy is the head that wears this crown, which weighs 2.23 kilograms (almost five pounds). From 1702 until 1911, the St. Edward’s Crown was simply carried during each coronation procession and placed on the altar in Westminster Abbey for the ceremony, but never actually worn by the new monarch—it was thought to be too heavy. That changed in 1911, when King George V was crowned with the St. Edward’s Crown, and it has crowned all British monarchs since.
When the St. Edward’s Crown was commissioned in 1661, the cost of buying the gems was deemed too prohibitive; instead, the jewels were rented for each coronation and replaced with imitation stones for public viewing. Its jewels were set permanently in 1911.
The coin’s reverse features an artistic representation of the front cross pattée from the centuries-old St. Edward’s Crown, the coronation crown and the centrepiece of the British Crown Jewels. Bordered by a row of beads inspired by the crown, the gold-plated embellishment is studded with coloured glass stones that stand in for some of the coronation crown’s many gemstones. The coin’s obverse features the effigy of Queen Elizabeth II by Susanna Blunt. The obverse also bears a special marking that includes four pearls symbolizing the four effigies that have graced Canadian coins and the double date of her reign.
Specifications:
Item Number: 206221
Mintage: 6,000
Composition: 99.99% pure silver with gold-plated embellishment, embedded coloured glass stones
Weight: 31.39 g
Diameter: 38 mm
Face Value: $20
Finish: Matte Proof
Edge: Serrated
Artist: RCM Engravers (reverse), Susanna Blunt (obverse)
Special Features:
• The coronation crown. The centrepiece of the British Crown Jewels, the centuries-old St. Edward’s Crown used to crown Queen Elizabeth II in 1953, and now His Majesty King Charles III in 2023 inspired this extraordinary fine silver collectible.
• Coloured glass stones. This artistic interpretation of the iconic cross pattée is adorned with colourful glass stones that stand in beautifully for some of the crown’s precious and semi-precious stones.
• Gold plating! Gold plating adds a regal shine to the reverse design, where the specially shaped embellishment is a representation of the crown’s distinctive cross.
• Rarely seen. St. Edward’s Crown is exclusively used to crown British sovereigns and is only worn once in a reign. It is rarely removed from the Tower of London, meaning this representation of its front cross patt&233;e may be the closest you’ll get to the real thing.
• Matte proof finish! A stain field ensures all eyes are on the crown-inspired designed.
• Popular with collectors! Previous crown and tiara themed coins sold out quickly. Mintage is limited to 6,000 coins worldwide.
Packaging:
The coin is encapsulated and presented in a black Royal Canadian Mint-branded clamshell with a black beauty box.
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