Issued to mark Prince Charles's visit to Jamaica in 1979, this oversized crown belongs to a wave of Commonwealth commemoratives produced in the late 1970s as Caribbean nations navigated the awkward diplomatic choreography of independence within a British-headed framework. Jamaica had been independent since 1962, yet the Bank of Jamaica still found occasion to strike silver in the Prince's honour.
At 136 grams, it is among the heaviest pieces in the Jamaican commemorative series — more medal than coin in practical terms, and almost certainly never spent.
Issued to mark Prince Charles's visit to Jamaica in 1979, this oversized crown belongs to a wave of Commonwealth commemoratives produced in the late 1970s as Caribbean nations navigated the awkward diplomatic choreography of independence within a British-headed framework. Jamaica had been independent since 1962, yet the Bank of Jamaica still found occasion to strike silver in the Prince's honour.
At 136 grams, it is among the heaviest pieces in the Jamaican commemorative series — more medal than coin in practical terms, and almost certainly never spent.