One of the most audacious creations in the history of numismatics goes under the hammer today at Stanley Gibbons Baldwin’s in London. "The Crown Coin: Her Masterpiece" — a dazzling work of art commissioned by The East India Company in 2022 to honor Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee — will headline the auctioneer’s September 25 evening sale.
The 24-karat gold piece carries a conservative pre-sale estimate of £2 million to £3 million (about $2.7 million to $4 million), although its last independent valuation placed its worth closer to £16 million ($21.5 million). Given its rarity, craftsmanship and cultural significance, experts suggest the final hammer price could soar well above the estimate.
(The current record for the most expensive coin ever auctioned is held by a 1933 American “Double Eagle,” which sold for $18.9 million at Sotheby’s New York in June 2021.)
Measuring an imposing 235mm across — nearly the size of a dinner plate — The Crown Coin weighs 3.61 kilograms (7.96 lbs) and glitters with 6,426 GIA-certified diamonds totaling 483.57 carats.
Its centerpiece is a 1-kilogram legal tender coin with a face value of £10,000, encircled by 10 one-ounce coins that together bear five official portraits of Queen Elizabeth II and the six virtues — Truth, Justice, Charity, Courage, Victory, and Constancy — depicted on the Victoria Memorial at Buckingham Palace.
The diamond array on the multi-coin face is said to be inspired by Elizabeth II’s tiaras. The diamond formation on the effigy side of the coin follows the lines of the British flag. The outer ring is inscribed with passages from her 1953 coronation oath, including the vow, “Throughout all of my life and with all my heart I will strive to be worthy of your trust.”
The creation of this singular tribute was a global collaboration involving 83 artisans across many countries. The design was conceived in Britain, refined in Sri Lanka and England, engraved in Singapore, minted in Germany and the Netherlands, and assembled in India. Diamonds were cut and polished in Australia, South Africa, and Canada before being certified by the Gemological Institute of America.
“This is more than a coin; it is a cultural artifact,” said a spokesperson for Stanley Gibbons Baldwin’s. “The Crown Coin: Her Masterpiece stands alongside the greatest numismatic achievements in history, a once-in-a-generation tribute to Britain’s Golden Queen.”
The sale will be conducted live from Stanley Gibbons Baldwin’s London flagship at 399 Strand, with international bidding available online. In keeping with the house’s embrace of innovation, cryptocurrency payments will be accepted subject to due diligence, signaling the auction’s appeal to next-generation collectors.
Beyond its staggering materials and craftsmanship, The Crown Coin represents continuity, loyalty and the shared admiration Queen Elizabeth II inspired worldwide during her record-breaking 70-year reign. For collectors, today’s auction presents an unparalleled opportunity to own a piece that unites artistry, heritage and majesty in a form unlikely ever to be replicated.
Credit: Images courtesy of Stanley Gibbons Baldwin’s Auctions.