Summary

Copper-Nickel proof coin; Denomination: Crown
Royal Mint, London
George VI (1936-1952)

Proof-of-Record example of coin struck to commemorate the Festival of Britain. The Festival of Britain was a national exhibition which both commemorated the centenary of the Great Exhibition of 1851 and was to promote improvements in design for the post-war rebuilding of the country. The official opening was on 3 May 1951 but the exhibition was not in a single place, there were components around the country as well as touring exhibitions. The principal exhibition sites were the South Bank, London on the Thames near Waterloo Station; Poplar, East London (Architecture), Battersea Park (Festival Gardens), South Kensington (Science) and Kelvin Hall, Glasgow (Industrial Power).

Obverse Description

Bare head of the King facing left; below neck in small letters, HP (T. Humphrey Paget); around above, GEORGIVS VI D: G: BR: OMN: REX F: D:; around below, FIVE SHILLINGS

Reverse Description

St George on horseback advancing to right wearing a helmet and cape and holding a sword; below horse, fallen dragon with lance in its side; below exergue line at right the artist's initials B.P. (Benedetto Pistrucci); in exergue, 1951

Edge Description

incuse, MDCCCLI CIVIUM INDUSTRIA FLORET CIVITAS MCMLI

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