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5 Pounds - Elizabeth II Naval Aviation - HMS Ark Royal
| Issuer | States of Guernsey |
|---|---|
| Year | 2009 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | 5 Pounds |
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| Obverse description | Fourth-generation effigy of Queen Elizabeth II facing right, as modelled by Ian Rank-Broadley, depicting a mature draped bust wearing a diamond diadem and drop earrings. The portrait is rendered in fine relief against a smooth field. The engraver's initials 'IRB' appear below the truncation. The circular legend reads 'ELIZABETH II BAILIWICK OF GUERNSEY' along the upper periphery, with the date '2009' to the lower right. |
|---|---|
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| Reverse lettering | 100 YEARS OF NAVAL AVIATION Fly Navy FIVE POUNDS |
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| Additional information |
Guernsey has issued commemorative crowns under its own authority since 1956, producing a steady stream of themed five-pound pieces that rarely circulate. This example honors HMS Ark Royal, the fifth ship to carry the name in Royal Navy service — the through-deck cruiser commissioned in 1985 that served as the flagship of British carrier operations until her decommissioning in 2011, two years after this coin was struck.
The decision to retire Ark Royal early, partly driven by the 2010 Strategic Defence and Security Review, left the Royal Navy without fixed-wing carrier capability for nearly a decade.