5 Pounds - Elizabeth II V E Day

Virenium — a proprietary copper-zinc-nickel alloy developed by the Birmingham Mint — was chosen for this issue partly because it mimics the appearance of gold at a fraction of the cost, lending commemorative weight to a circulation-grade piece. The 50th anniversary of VE Day prompted a wave of issues across British territories in 1995, Gibraltar among them, its wartime significance genuine: the Rock remained a militarily active Allied stronghold throughout the conflict, its tunnels expanded to house tens of thousands of troops.