1977 Silver Jubilee Coin: An Amalgamation of History, Tradition, and Lustre
The 1977 Silver Jubilee coin is a collectable piece that’s usually treasured for its aesthetic appearance and rarity. Find the 1977 Silver Jubilee coin on eBay to add some to your coin collection.
What is the 1977 Silver Jubilee coin made of?Though the coin has ‘silver’ in its name, it isn’t made using the white lustrous metal. The term ‘silver’ basically marks the 25th anniversary of the Queen’s accession to the throne. The coin was primarily made of cupro-nickel, which is a copper alloy that contains strengthening elements, such as nickel, manganese, and iron. The copper content is anywhere in the 60-90% range. Despite the higher copper presence, cupro-nickel looks like silver. There were sterling silver versions minted too. In fact, 36,989,000 cupro-nickel coins were made, and a relatively fewer 377,000 silver coins were issued.
Important 1977 Silver Jubilee coin specificationsThe 1977 Silver Jubilee coin is one of only four decimal British crowns to be struck. Its major specifications are:
- Issued in 1977 by the Royal Mint.
- 38.61 mm or 3.86 cm diameter.
- 28.28 g weight.
- The edges are milled.
Arnold Machin, a renowned British artist and sculptor, designed both the obverse and reverse sides of the coin.
- The coin’s obverse or front side has the image of the Queen riding a horse.
- The portrait is similar to the 1953 British crown that celebrated her coronation. The inscription ‘ELIZABETH II DG. REG FD 1977’ encircles the image.
- The coin’s reverse side is coronation insignia with no inscription.
- The ‘anointing spoon’ and ‘ampulla’ used during the coronation of the queen are displayed with a crown at the top and a floral border encircling the eagle-shaped vessel.
The anointing spoon and ampulla date back to the 12th and 14th centuries, respectively.
How much is the 1977 Silver Jubilee coin worth now?The coin’s face value was 25 pence. However, the value wasn’t marked on the coin as it was mainly a commemorative coin. It was not deemed necessary to have the value mark included in the inscription. This 1977 coin was spent back then like any other coin in circulation today. However, the local people or non-collectors of today’s times may not be familiar with the coin. According to the Royal Mint, a bank or post office would accept the coin. You would get much better returns if you were to treat and sell the coin as a collectable piece. Compared to the cupronickel coin, the silver variant (due to its rarity) could easily fetch upwards of £30.