Catalog
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| Issuer | Cayman Islands |
|---|---|
| Year | 1977 |
| Type | Non-circulating coin |
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| Obverse description | Right-facing effigy of Queen Elizabeth II wearing a tiara, rendered in the Arnold Machin style with finely detailed hair and a bare neckline. The portrait occupies the central field and is executed in high relief against a deeply mirrored proof background. The legend CAYMAN ISLANDS arcs along the left periphery, ELIZABETH II along the right, and the date 1977 appears in the lower exergual area. |
|---|---|
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| Reverse description | Left-facing veiled and crowned effigy of Queen Victoria in her elder, widowed portrait, depicted wearing a small diamond crown atop a veil, a pearl necklace, and elaborately embroidered robes with intricate detail. The large central bust dominates the field, rendered in fine relief against a polished proof surface. The legend VICTORIA arcs along the upper left, flanked by decorative ornaments, with the regnal dates 1837 · 1901 along the upper right, and FIFTY DOLLARS inscribed along the lower periphery. |
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| Additional information |
Issued to mark the Silver Jubilee of Elizabeth II, this piece also commemorates Queen Victoria, whose own Diamond Jubilee in 1897 was among the most elaborate state celebrations the British Empire ever staged. The Cayman Islands, a Crown Colony, produced this as part of a broader jubilee coinage program that year. The .500 fineness is notably low for a commemorative gold issue of this period — most contemporary gold commemoratives aimed for .900 or better — likely a deliberate cost measure to keep the series accessible while still qualifying as gold coinage.