1/2 Sovereign - Elizabeth II VE Day

Alderney's status as a British Crown Dependency allows it to issue commemorative coinage under Royal Mint licensing while bearing denominations that have no legal tender function in daily commerce — these are collector vehicles, full stop. The 2020 VE Day issue marks the 75th anniversary of the end of the Second World War in Europe, a date of particular resonance for Alderney, which was the only permanently inhabited British territory occupied by German forces from 1940 until liberation in May 1945. Much of the island's civilian population had been evacuated beforehand.

The rhodium-platinum gilding over the gold flan is a production technique used to create tonal contrast — rhodium being exceptionally hard and corrosion-resistant, which is why it appears on white metal accents in jewelry work.