The British Royal Mint has released a new 2008 commemorative £5 coin celebrating the 60th birthday of His Royal Highness, The Prince of Wales. The limited edition coin comes in Brilliant Uncirculated and Proof versions. The commemorative design is rather unusual in that both sides of the coin bear a prominent head portrait, making it a "two-headed" coin.
The British Royal Mint provided a brief history of Prince Charles.
Born at Buckingham Palace on 14 November 1948, Prince Charles Philip Arthur George was the first son of Princess Elizabeth and The Duke of Edinburgh. The Queen declared her eldest son and heir apparent Prince of Wales in 1958 and in 1969 his Investiture took place at Caernarfon Castle.
The designers and specifications of the 2008 Prince of Wales 60th Birthday Commemorative £5 Coin
The obverse or heads side of the commemorative coin has an image of Her Majesty The Queen and the reverse or tails side the portrait of Prince Charles. Both were designed by Ian Rank-Broadley FRBS.
The reverse inscription surrounding Prince Charles includes the words "ICH DIEN", which means ‘I serve’, and is taken from the Badge of the Prince of Wales. The dates of 1948 and 2008 also appear as well as his royal title "THE PRINCE OF WALES."
Coin Specifications
The uncirculated coin has the following specifications:
- Denomination: £5
- Composition: Cupro-nickel
- Weight: 28.28 grams
- Diameter: 38.61 mm
Order information and prices, Britain and US (Canadian province prices available online through provided links)
The 2008 Commemorative Coin can be purchased within several Royal Mint products.
The special 2008 Prince of Wales 60th Birthday Crown Presentation Folder
The attractive folder contains one Brilliant Uncirculated coin and is filled with images and information pertaining to the life and work of Prince Charles. It is limited to 500,000 sets.
The prices:
- £9.95 (GBP)
- $19.95 (US)
The presentation folder with coin can be ordered online through the British Royal Mint page,
2008 Prince of Wales 60th Birthday Crown Presentation Folder
2008 Executive Proof Coin Set
The oak veneer case for Executive Proof Set of 2008 contains 11 coins, is limited to 5,000 sets and is available to UK customers only.
In addition to the £5 coin commemorating the 60th birthday of Prince Charles, two other proof commemorative coins are included: one coin celebrating the 450th anniversary of the accession of Queen Elizabeth I and the other a special £2 coin commemorating the centenary of the 4th Olympiad.
Also within the set are 8 proof coins comprising the United Kingdom’s legal tender coins for 2008.
The price is:
- £79.95
The set can be ordered online through the British Royal Mint page,
2008 Deluxe Proof Coin Set
The black leather case for the Deluxe Proof Coin Set is available to UK customers only. It contains the same 11 coins included in the 2008 Executive Proof Coin Set and is limited to 15,000 sets.
The price is:
- £49.95
The set can be ordered online through the British Royal Mint page,
2008 Standard Proof Coin Set
The black case for the 2008 Standard Proof Coin Set is available to UK customers only. It cointains the same 11 coins included in the 2008 Executive Proof Coin Set and is limited to 30,000 sets.
The price is:
- £39.95
The set can be ordered online through the British Royal Mint page,
2008 Family Silver Collection
The Family Silver Collection includes two crowns celebrating the 60th birthday of His Majesty The Prince of Wales and the 450th anniversary of the accession of Queen Elizabeth I, the Britannia £2 coin with its brand new design, the £2 coin commemorating the centenary of the London Olympic Games and the £1 coin bearing the Royal Arms on the occasion of the coin’s 25th anniversary.
The collection is limited to only 5,000 sets and is available to UK customers only.
The price is:
- £179.95
The set can be ordered online through the British Royal Mint page,
Phone orders should be directed to 0845 60 88 222.
