Five Pounds 2016 Battle of the Somme, Coin from United Kingdom - detailed information

At the time of decimalisation in 1971, the United Kingdom Crown coin (equal to 5 shillings) was redenominated as a 25p coin and pieces struck prior to 1990 - all the way back to 1818 - continue to be legal tender for that amount. The old denomination had been a regular circulating coin in the 19th century, but in the 20th century it became more of a commemorative denomination.

The Royal Mint continued issuing commemorative coins in the same format - using the traditional coin dimensions, but in copper-nickel. These were initially also denominated as 25 pence but the "Crown" was changed in 1990 to a commemorative £5 (five pound) coin, having the same dimensions and weight but with a face value twenty times as great.

The denomination is used to mark special occasions, usually royal in theme, rather than for use in general circulation. Although not circulating, these coins are legal tender.

This commemorative £5 Crown-sized coin was issued as part of a six-coin set of similar coins commemorating the Centenary of the First World War; the set itself is the third part of a series of sets issued over several years. This coin commemorates one hundred years since the Battle of the Somme.

The Battle of the Somme, also known as the Somme Offensive, was a battle of the First World War fought by the armies of the British Empire and French Third Republic against the German Empire. It took place between 1 July and 18 November 1916 on both sides of the upper reaches of the River Somme in France. The battle was intended to hasten a victory for the Allies. More than three million men fought in the battle and one million men were wounded or killed, making it one of the bloodiest battles in human history.

Produced in collaboration with the Imperial War Museum, the coin has been designed by sculptor and coin designer John Bergdahl, and portrays infantrymen trudging through muddy terrain in no man’s land, as a tank rolls alongside them. It was this new piece of military technology - the tank - that helped to change the nature of the conflict, and was to mark the battle out as a turning point in the First World War.

The edge inscription, "DEAD MEN CAN ADVANCE NO FURTHER", is a quotation taken from Major-General Sir Beauvoir de Lisle, Commander of the 29th British Division.

The coin was issued in Proof FDC, in sterling silver and in a gold; unlike four of the other five coins in the set, this one was also issued individually boxed.