Gibraltar has issued commemorative crowns in considerable volume since the 1970s, and this centenary Somme piece is part of that broader programme rather than a standalone commission. The Battle of the Somme opened on 1 July 1916 — the single bloodiest day in British military history, with nearly 57,470 British casualties before nightfall. The Royal Newfoundland Regiment was effectively destroyed as a fighting unit that morning at Beaumont-Hamel, advancing into uncut wire while German machine guns remained entirely intact after the preliminary bombardment.
.925 silver crowns of this specification are struck by the Pobjoy Mint on behalf of Gibraltar, a long-standing arrangement.
Gibraltar has issued commemorative crowns in considerable volume since the 1970s, and this centenary Somme piece is part of that broader programme rather than a standalone commission. The Battle of the Somme opened on 1 July 1916 — the single bloodiest day in British military history, with nearly 57,470 British casualties before nightfall. The Royal Newfoundland Regiment was effectively destroyed as a fighting unit that morning at Beaumont-Hamel, advancing into uncut wire while German machine guns remained entirely intact after the preliminary bombardment.
.925 silver crowns of this specification are struck by the Pobjoy Mint on behalf of Gibraltar, a long-standing arrangement.