Our blog series following along with Whitman Publishing’s 100 Greatest Women on Coins has mentioned several women. Some real, some allegorical, a handful of goddesses, and some that represent an idea or appear in art. No matter the background, women in coins have made quite the impact. However, our next woman has perhaps made the biggest in recent and distant memory for the sheer number of coins and currency she has made an appearance on. Author Ron Guth will guide us along as we take a closer look at the longest reigning British monarch in history, and the second to longest in world history.
#12 – Queen Elizabeth II
Born in April of 1926, Queen Elizabeth II was third in line to the throne behind her father, Prince Albert (King George VI), and her uncle, Prince of Wales (King Edward VIII). Safe to say it was a long shot, or so they thought. Her ascension became very real once King Edward VIII (her uncle) abdicated the throne in 1936, making way for her father to become king. This put her second in line and her eventual reign unavoidable. In 1952, Elizabeth become queen after the passing of her father. She was officially coronated on June 2, 1953.
Throughout her 70-year reign, Elizabeth would travel extensively throughout the world. She would become the longest reigning monarch in the United Kingdom’s history, surpassing Queen Victoria’s 63+ years.
Queen Elizabeth II has appeared on billions of coins over the years as nations such as England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, Australia, Canada and more featured her on their currency. Smaller islands, such as NIUE, Isle of Man, and the Cook Islands, also have featured her on their coins.
Author Ron Guth expresses that coins depicting her image are easy to come by due to the sheer volume of commemorative and circulation strike coins she appears on. Prices range from inexpensive to thousands of dollars depending on the precious metal and rarity.