2006 Platinum Proof Piedfort Crown - The Queen's 80th Birthday

2006 Platinum Piedfort Eightieth Birthday Crown Coin.

In 2006, the Royal Mint continued its series of platinum piedfort crowns, started in 2004. The 2006 issue commemorates the 80th birthday of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

This coin is struck to a proof finish in .9995 fineness and comes in a wooden presentation box with a certificate of authenticity. It contains just over three troy ounces of platinum, and has an issue limit of just 250 coins.

Multi Version

British Crowns have been issued as large silver coins since 1551, originally with a face value of five shillings (25 pence). Since 1990, they have been issued with a face value of five pounds. Modern marketing has seen them issued in base metal, as ordinary "circulation" issues available at face value, as proofs in year sets, as silver proofs, silver piedforts, gold, and now platinum. This all gives the collector extra ways to spend money.

Quirky Marketing

In 2005, the Royal Mint have used "stealth marketing" for this issue. We often fail to understand the Royal Mint's marketing strategy, if we can call it that. It seems that this issue was only marketed, in the UK at any rate, by telephone, and probably only to Royal Mint FDC Coin Club members. Although this must have worked for them, we cannot understand why it did not also get offered in its Bulletin, or on its website. If we were offered an expensive item by telephone, we would want to see photographs, and a hard copy version of the offer. Quite why the Royal Mint chooses to use such quirky and selective marketing, we do not know. Telesales marketing is quite expensive, not everybody likes it, many find it intrusive, and there may have been many potential buyers who will have been disappointed that the Mint failed to give them an opportunity to buy. Ah well, it seems to work!

Edge

The edge is inscribed in incuse lettering:

VIVAT REGINA ELIZABETHA

The fourth portrait of the Queen facing right, designed by Ian Rank-Broadley, his initials IRB are below the truncated neck. The inscription on the obverse reads:

ELIZABETH·II D·G REG·F·D FIVE POUNDS

For the reverse Danuta Solowiej-Wedderburn has created a simple but pleasing design of a fanfare of three horns adorned with royal standards, suggestive of an announcement, proclamation and celebration. The reverse Latin inscription reads:

1926 VIVAT REGINA 2006

This translates to 'Long Live the Queen'.