1994 D-Day Normandy Landings Fifty Pence Piedfort Silver Proof Coin
During the spring of 1944, over three million men gathered in Southern England, forming one of the biggest ever invasion forces. They were readying themselves for the invasion of France and intended liberation of the whole of Europe. Forces from the land, sea, and sky came together on 6 June 1944 to perform the Normandy landings under Operation Overlord. To commemorate and celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of D-Day, The Royal Mint commissioned a special silver proof piedfort Fifty Pence. Designer and sculptor, John Mills, had childhood memories of seeing the sky fill with planes on that important day and it is these recollections which informed his design of the silver coin. The top half is filled with aeroplanes flying towards the horizon, while the bottom half is filled with ships heading to help the effort. There is a great sense of purpose and movement in the scene reflecting the scale and importance of this day for the Second World War. On the obverse to Mills’ design is Raphael Maklouf’s popular portrait of The Queen, which was the third official effigy used on circulating coinage. The Royal Mint issued 10,000 of these double thickness silver proofs, and this one comes in its original packaging with certificate of authenticity. It weighs the traditional 27.00 grams and has a diameter of 30.00 milimetres. In .925 sterling silver, this coin’s proof finish results in a shiner and more defined design. System.Threading.Tasks.Task`1[System.String] System.Threading.Tasks.Task`1[System.String]