Five Pounds 2020 End of World War Two, 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 75th anniversary of the Second World War.

The Royal Mint says:
"After Victory in Europe (VE) Day, attention turned to the Far East where Japan still had to be defeated. The choice for the Allies was a grave one: launch a seaborne invasion at huge human cost or use the atomic capability now at their disposal. First Hiroshima and then Nagasaki were razed to the ground, forcing Japan to surrender. A war that had raged for six years, claimed millions of lives and brought suffering to entire populations was finally at an end.

Prime Minister Clement Attlee announced the news at midnight on 14 August, declaring a two-day public holiday beginning with Victory over Japan (VJ) Day. Up and down the country bonfires were lit and street parties were held as people joined together in celebration; the process of reconciliation and rebuilding could finally begin.

Seventy-five years on we recall one of the most important moments in history with a commemorative £5 coin. Available as a limited-edition gold Proof, silver Proof and silver Proof Piedfort edition, alongside a Brilliant Uncirculated edition, designers Matt Dent and Christian Davies capture the magnitude of events with a design inspired by stone inscriptions on war memorials. The typographic intersection of the words ‘war’ and ‘peace’ captures the sense of the conflict abating and the dawn of a new era."

The designers explain:
"We wanted the design to evoke the same feelings a memorial would, serving as a focus for remembering one of the most significant moments of the recent past. If you look closely, you can see the typography takes inspiration from classical v-cut lettering often found inscribed in stone - just like on war memorials - and the coin’s surface is subtly textured like solid rock.

The design is based around a typographic intersection between the words ‘war’ and ‘peace’. The design is structured so that the word ‘peace’ dominates the word ‘war’, suggesting that the horror of war has abated and a new era of peace has arrived.”