Five pounds (British coin)

Five pounds
United Kingdom
Value£5
Mass28.28 g
Diameter38.61 mm
Thickness2.89 mm
EdgeMilled, with an inscription
CompositionCupro-nickel
(75% Cu, 25% Ni)
Silver (.925 Sterling Silver)
Gold
Years of minting1990–present
Obverse
DesignKing Charles III
DesignerMartin Jennings
Design date2022
Reverse
DesignNo standard reverse design; the design varies each year with the event being commemorated

The British five pound (£5) coin is a commemorative denomination of sterling coinage. As of October 2022, the obverse of new coins feature the profile of King Charles III. The obverse previously depicted Queen Elizabeth II between the coin's introduction in 1990 and the Queen's death in 2022. Two different portraits of the Queen graced the coin, with the last design by Ian Rank-Broadley being introduced in 1998. The coin has no standard reverse; instead it is altered each year to commemorate important events. Variant obverses have also been used on occasion.

The coin is a continuation of the crown, which after decimalisation became the commemorative twenty-five pence coin. The twenty-five pence was discontinued in 1981 after creating a large coin with such small value became prohibitively expensive. The five pound coin shares the same dimensions as the twenty-five pence coin, and the five shilling coin before it, but has a nominal value twenty times greater.

Five pound coins are legal tender but are intended as souvenirs and are rarely seen in circulation.[1] The coins are sold by the Royal Mint at face value and also, with presentation folders, at a premium to that face value. The 2010 coins, with such folders, were sold for £9.95 each.[2] As of 2020 the coin and folder cost £13.

A £5 memorial crown featuring the image of Charles III was released on 3 October 2022.

Separate five pound coin designs have also been released in various British crown dependencies and British Overseas Territories. These are outside of the scope of this article and are not listed below.

  1. ^ "United Kingdom £5 Coin (Commemorative Crown)". Archived from the original on 2009-01-08. Retrieved 2008-12-25.
  2. ^ 2008 Prince Charles £5 Presentation Folder, Royal Mint

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