Silver Kilo 2015 Longest Reigning Monarch, Coin from United Kingdom - detailed information

Like many other mints, the Royal Mint issues bullion coins in precious metals, having much higher intrinsic value than their face value. Most of these by tradition are measured in troy ounces of fractions thereof, but the mint also introduced metric coins measuring one kilogram of pure metal (they are actually fractionally heavier as a whole, to account for the small amount of other metal in the alloy).

The 1 kg silver coins are denominated as Five Hundred Pounds (£500), although their intrinsic (bullion) value is much higher than their face value. The coins vary in design depending on the occasion (they are "one-year" types usually issued in parallel with smaller denominations with the same reverse designs).

The coins are legal tender but are not intended for circulation. They are targeted at bullion investors or collectors who appreciate the special editions as pieces of art.

This commemorative 1 kg silver coin celebrates the Longest Reigning Monarch in the history of United Kingdom. On 9 September 2015 Queen Elizabeth II had ruled for more than 63 years and 216 days, which was the longest reign before her - that of Queen Victoria.

Excluding the £20, all the coins in the Longest Reigning Monarch coin range feature a new commemorative portrait by James Butler, which makes the coin a modern rarity, as it is unusual to have a portrait different from the "definitive" effigy of the monarch.