Five Pounds 2017 King Canute, 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 marks the 1,000th anniversary of the coronation of King Canute.

Cnut the Great, more commonly known as Canute, was king of Anglo-Saxon England from 1016 to 1035, king of Denmark from 1018 to 1035, and king of Norway from 1028 to 1035 - the three domains often referred to as the Anglo-Scandinavian or North Sea Empire. After his death, the deaths of his heirs within a decade, and the Norman conquest of England in 1066, his legacy was largely lost to history. The medieval historian Norman Cantor has stated that he was "the most effective king in Anglo-Saxon history", although Cnut himself was Danish, not British or Anglo-Saxon.

One thousand years after his time, the Royal Mint says about him:
"Canute was crowned king of England in 1017 and because he was a Viking king, ruler of Denmark, he was able to protect England against the devastating Viking raids it had suffered for 100 years. As a Christian, and as part of his self-promotion as a peaceful ‘English’ king, he also made many generous gifts to the church. By bringing 20 years of peace and allowing trade and art to flourish, he paved the way for the nation of England we recognise today."