Catalog
See full images - free registration
Continue with Google - no registration!
or register with email
Why register? Just to keep bots out of our catalog. Your email stays private - we will never share it or send you anything uninvited. We guarantee you that!
2 Crowns - Elizabeth II Leif Erikson
| Issuer | Isle of Man Treasury |
|---|---|
| Year | 2020 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | 2 Crowns |
| Currency | Log in to see details |
| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Weight | Log in to see details |
| Diameter | Log in to see details |
| Thickness | Log in to see details |
| Shape | Log in to see details |
| Technique | Log in to see details |
| Orientation | Log in to see details |
| Engraver(s) | Log in to see details |
| In circulation to | Log in to see details |
| Reference(s) | Log in to see details |
| Obverse description | Right-facing, truncated effigy of Queen Elizabeth II wearing the George IV State Diadem and the Victorian Coronation Necklace, rendered in high relief. The legend 'QUEEN ELIZABETH II · ISLE OF MAN' arcs around the upper periphery, while the denomination 'DOUBLE CROWN' and date '2020' appear in the lower field. The engraver's initials 'JC' are present below the bust truncation. |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Log in to see details |
| Obverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Reverse description | The central design depicts Leif Erikson standing aboard a Viking longship under full sail, portrayed in dynamic high relief. A cartographic rendering of Europe, the northern Atlantic Ocean, and the eastern coastline of North America fills the background, referencing Erikson's legendary westward voyages circa 1000 AD. The inscription 'LEIF ERIKSON CA. 970 - 1020' arcs along the lower portion of the field, recording the explorer's approximate birth and death years. |
| Reverse script | Log in to see details |
| Reverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Edge | Log in to see details |
| Mint | Log in to see details |
| Mintage | Log in to see details |
| Additional information |
The Isle of Man Treasury has long operated as an aggressive player in the commemorative bullion market, issuing themed crowns on subjects with tenuous geographic connection to the island — Leif Erikson being a prime example. The Norse explorer's landfall in North America, now generally accepted as L'Anse aux Meadows in Newfoundland around 1000 AD, predates Columbus by roughly five centuries, though it took the 1960 archaeological excavations by Helge and Anne Ingstad to give that claim physical credibility.
At .375 fineness, this falls into the 9-carat category — below the threshold many collectors consider serious bullion.