Royal Mint Offers 2008 UK Queen Elizabeth I £5 Piedfort Platinum Proof Coin

The British Royal Mint has announced the sale of the extremely limited 2008 UK Queen Elizabeth I £5 Piedfort Platinum Proof Coin, and only days after releasing the four-coin silver proof Piedforts.

The platinum coin, like its sister silver version, has the piedfort-style double weight and thickness. It’s on sale for a whopping £5250 (~$10,264 USD). Too high? Set aside the coin’s beauty and consider only its limited 150 issuance and 3 ounce platinum content. You might just reconsider.

And you may want to hurry. The Royal Mint’s two previous years’ platinum Piedforts sold out.

The £5 commemorative coin marks the 450th anniversary of the accession Queen Elizabeth, and bears her image set within a mandorla created by four decorative arches. Roses and leaf patterns decorate the surroundings.

A historical perspective of Piedfort coins is available through the article, British Royal Mint Launches Piedfort Coins in 2008 UK Silver Proof Collection.

The Royal Mint website offers the following information regarding Queen Elizabeth I:

Elizabeth, daughter of Anne Boleyn and Henry VIII, was born at Greenwich on 7 September 1533. Upon the death of her half-sister Princess Mary, in 1558, Elizabeth was proclaimed as the Queen of England. Although she inherited a throne beset with problems, Elizabeth brought about welcome reforms, which saw her become one of the best-loved English monarchs in history.

Elizabeth introduced a new Statute of Labourers fixed wages and hours of work, a new Poor Law, which brought relief to the impotent poor, housing was provided for agricultural labourers while, from 1550, increasing numbers of grammar schools were founded, many under the auspices of the Queen herself. The death penalty for beggars and vagabonds was abolished, trade and industry expanded and, in general, England prospered.

Coin specifications, price and ordering

Some points and further coin specifications provided by the Mint include:

• Weight: 94.2 gms (~3 troy ounces)
• Diameter: 38.61 mm
• Extremely low worldwide issue limit of just 150
• Crafted in rare .9995 platinum
• Struck in Proof quality
• Platinum never tarnishes and is approximately 30 times rarer than gold
• The reverse features a portrait of Queen Elizabeth I by renowned silversmith Rod Kelly
• Ian Rank-Broadley’s elegant portrait of Her Majesty The Queen features on the obverse
• Edge Inscription ‘I HAVE REIGNED WITH YOUR LOVES’
• Housed in a beautiful oak-veneer case bearing the new Royal Mint emblem in gold on its lid
• Accompanied by an individually numbered Certificate of Authenticity, attesting to the coin’s strict specifications.
• Designer reverse: Rod Kelly
• Designer obverse: Ian Rank-Broadley FRBS

The collections may be ordered online through the Royal Mint product page:

2008 UK Queen Elizabeth I £5 Piedfort Platinum Proof Coin

Phone orders

Customers may also place orders by calling the Royal Mint directly at 0845 60 88 222.

About the Royal Mint

The Royal Mint is a department of government and its primary responsibility remains the provision of the United Kingdom coinage. Its reputation, however, extends beyond this and internationally it has a reputation for making some fascinating coins for over 100 countries.

The history of the Royal Mint itself stretches back over 1100 years. There is an unbroken link from the scattered workshops of the moneyers of Anglo-Saxon London to a single mint within the Tower of London, from a purpose-built premises at Tower Hill to the huge modern coining plant in South Wales.

In April 1975 the Mint was established as a Government Trading Fund, operationally very similar to a government-owned company.