To celebrate Queen Elizabeth’s Diamond Jubilee, the British Royal Mint has produced its largest coin ever, a giant 15-kilogram coin commissioned by an antiquities collector.
The solid gold coin, 22 millimeters (8.7 inches) in diameter, took 400 hours to strike and is worth 15,000 pounds ($18,772), with a portrait of the 96-year-old queen on one side and the queen’s initials and name above. Crown on the other side.
“Being the largest British coin to date, the size and diameter of the coin allowed us to achieve an exceptional level of accuracy and detail,” said Paul Morgan, technical director of the Royal Mint.
In a statement released Wednesday, the anonymous private collector said the coin’s design was a fitting tribute to the queen.
The Royal Mint also issued 1.3 million 50-pence coins to celebrate the 70th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth’s accession to the throne, an occasion Britain will celebrate during four days of national events next month.
