A Royal Mint sealed bag of 200 1965 Churchill Crowns

Following the death of Sir Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill, in 1965, a commemorative crown was issued in his honour and memory. Obverse: The first (young) portrait of the Queen facing right, designed by Mary Gillick. ELIZABETH II DEI GRATIA REGINA F D 1965. Reverse: A sombre-looking portrait of Sir Winston Churchill, in a siren suit.

The Churchill commemorative crown coin was announced on 16 March 1965, just seven weeks after Churchill's death. Only four commemorative coins had previously been issued in the UK and this would be the first to feature the head of a commoner on the same coin as monarch. Mary Gillick's portrait of HM the Queen on the obverse would be the same as that on all the coinage issued since 1953, but the reverse design would be specially commissioned from Churchill's favourite sculptor, Oscar Nemon.

The Royal Proclamation authorising the design of the coin was signed by the Queen on 3 August 1965. Lady Churchill started the coining press at the Royal Mint in September and was presented with the first Churchill crown to be struck. Later the Queen visited the Royal Mint and struck a further example of the coin which was also presented to Lady Churchill. Distribution of the coins began on 11 October 1965 and production continued until the summer of 1966 to satisfy demand.

The Churchill crown does not carry a statement of its face value but continues to be legal tender and is worth, as it has always been, just five shillings or twenty-five pence. To add value jewellers and enamellers have plated Churchill crowns with silver or gold and mounted them on such objects as trinket boxes, pin trays, pendants and belt buckles.