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5 Pounds - Elizabeth II Victoria Cross, Ernest Smith
| Issuer | Alderney |
|---|---|
| Year | 2006 |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Reference(s) | KM#150 |
| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Latin |
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| Reverse description | Log in to see details |
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| Reverse lettering | ERNEST ALVIA SMITH FOR VALOUR SAVIO BRIDGEHEAD 1944 FIVE POUNDS |
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| Additional information |
Ernest Alvia Smith was the only Canadian private soldier to receive the Victoria Cross in World War II, earning it near Savio, Italy in October 1944 after single-handedly stopping a German armored counterattack with a PIAT anti-tank weapon. He survived, returned to Vancouver, and lived until 2005 — dying just one year before this coin was issued.
Alderney has used its Crown dependency status to issue commemorative coinage well outside the scope of actual local circulation since the 1990s. This piece is part of a broader VC series timed to the medal's 150th anniversary.