Five Pounds 2017 Downing Street, 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 £5 Crown-sized coin is part of a four-coin set of silver coins called "Portraits of Britain", which is the third in a series of sets issued over several years. The 2017 set features iconic buildings from around the United Kingdom; this coin shows 10 Downing Street in London.

10 Downing Street, also known colloquially in the United Kingdom simply as Number 10, is (along with the adjoining Cabinet Office at 70 Whitehall) the headquarters of the Government of the United Kingdom and the official residence and office of the First Lord of the Treasury, a post which, for much of the 18th and 19th centuries and invariably since 1905, has been held by the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. The term "10 Downing Street", or just "Downing Street", is also used to mean "the Prime Minister's office".

Situated in Downing Street in the City of Westminster, London, Number 10 is over 300 years old and contains approximately 100 rooms. A private residence occupies the third floor and there is a kitchen in the basement. The other floors contain offices and conference, reception, sitting and dining rooms where the Prime Minister works, and where government ministers, national leaders and foreign dignitaries are met and entertained. At the rear is an interior courtyard and a terrace overlooking a half-acre garden. Adjacent to St James's Park, Number 10 is near Buckingham Palace, the London residence of the British monarch, and the Palace of Westminster, the meeting place of both houses of parliament.

Designed by Royal Mint engravers Laura Clancy and Glyn Davies, each attraction is viewed as though through the eyes of a visitor, giving the coins the feel of an impressionist painting, enhanced by the trichromatic colour-printing.

The coins were issued in Proof FDC grade in sterling silver only.