Queen Elizabeth II led the Royal Maundy Service on Thursday in Northern Ireland. In keeping with the yearly tradition to mark Holy Thursday before Easter, The Queen handed out rare and specially minted coins along with regular circulation coins within small stringed red and white purses.

82 men and 82 women were selected from four main churches in Northern Ireland in recognition of their individual contributions and service. Each of the citizens received the purses and newly minted silver coins with a face value of 82 pence.

82 is the age of The Queen. Tradition dictates the monarch’s age is to be used in the each yearly service to determine how many individuals are selected and how many coins are handed out.

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Last week was Queen Elizabeth’s and Prince Philip’s 60th - the Diamond - Wedding Anniversary. Anyone’s 60th wedding anniversary deserves some news time and a shout of congratulations.

A royal 60th anniversary is on a completely different scale. And perhaps more so deserved as it was the first diamond wedding anniversary in British royal history.

To honor the occasion, Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip were celebrated with anniversary coinage. They have commemorative coin tributes for their 60th anniversary in at least three different countries.

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