Twenty pounds (British coin)
United Kingdom | |
| Value | 20 pounds sterling |
|---|---|
| Mass | 15.71 g |
| Diameter | 27.00 mm |
| Edge | Milled |
| Composition | .999 fine silver |
| Years of minting | 2013-present |
| Obverse | |
 | |
| Design | Queen Elizabeth II |
| Designer | Ian Rank-Broadley |
| Design date | 1998 |
| Reverse | |
 | |
| Design | Saint George and the Dragon |
| Designer | Benedetto Pistrucci |
| Design date | 1817 |
The British twenty pound (£20) coin is a commemorative coin, first issued by the Royal Mint in 2013.[1] It is minted in .999 fine silver.[2] Twenty pound coins are legal tender but are intended as souvenirs and are almost never seen in circulation. The coin has a weight of 15.71g and a diameter of 27.00mm and was first struck in 2013.
Design
The obverse of the coin features the portrait of Queen Elizabeth II designed by Ian Rank-Broadley. The coin has no standard reverse, which is altered each year to commemorate important events.
The designs which have appeared on the twenty pound coin's reverse are summarised in the table below.
| Year | Event | Design[3] | Edge Inscription | Designer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | - | Saint George and the Dragon | Milled | Benedetto Pistrucci |
| 2014 | The 100th anniversary of the outbreak of the First World War | Britannia and a lion on the left-hand side with warships in the background. An inscription above and to the right reads THE FIRST WORLD WAR, and below and to the left of that the dates 1914-1918 | Milled | John Bergdahl |
| 2015 | The 50th anniversary of Sir Winston Churchill's death | Winston Churchill | Milled | Etienne Millner |
| 2015 | The Longest Reigning Monarch | The five portraits of Queen Elizabeth II to appear on British coinage above the words "EIIR The Longest Reign" | Milled | Stephen Taylor |
References
- ^ Royal Mint creates first £20 coin, The Daily Telegraph, 5 September 2013
- ^ £20 coin on its way - but expert says it's only worth £8, The Guardian, 5 September 2013
- ^ Five Pound Coin Designs and Specifications, Royal Mint