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25 Pence - Elizabeth II Naval Battles, Battle of Diamond Rock
| Issuer | Saint Helena |
|---|---|
| Year | 2013 |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Diameter | Log in to see details |
| Thickness | 2.70 mm |
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| Obverse description | Right-facing crowned and draped bust of Queen Elizabeth II, wearing a pearl necklace and drop earring, rendered in high relief against a mirror-polished field. The legend ELIZABETH II is inscribed vertically along the left periphery, and ST. HELENA vertically along the right periphery, both in raised Latin lettering. The date 2013 appears in the lower exergue. A beaded border frames the entire design. |
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| Edge | Reeded |
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| Additional information |
Diamond Rock, a 174-meter volcanic plug off the coast of Martinique, was commissioned into the Royal Navy in 1804 as HMS Diamond Rock — one of the few pieces of land ever formally rated as a sloop-of-war. A garrison of roughly 100 sailors held it for nearly 18 months, harassing French shipping through the channel below, before Villeneuve's fleet of over 15 ships forced a surrender in June 1805. Napoleon reportedly found the whole episode humiliating enough to order its reduction as a precondition for his Atlantic strategy ahead of Trafalgar.
Saint Helena's connection is administrative — the island issued this series under its dependency status, with no local historical link to the engagement itself. The copper-nickel plated gold composition places it firmly in the commemorative novelty category rather than anything approaching circulation issue.