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50 Pence - Elizabeth II RAF - Gladiator
| Issuer | States of Guernsey |
|---|---|
| Year | 2020 |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Shape | Round |
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| Obverse description | Right-facing effigy of Queen Elizabeth II, wearing the Girls of Great Britain and Ireland tiara, as sculpted by Ian Rank-Broadley. The portrait is rendered in high relief with fine detail in the hair and diadem. The engraver's initials IRB appear below the truncation of the bust. The circumferential legend reads ELIZABETH II BAILIWICK OF GUERNSEY, with FIFTY PENCE and the date 2020 completing the inscription around the lower arc, all separated by raised bullet points. |
|---|---|
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| Reverse description | A full-color polychrome depiction of a Gloster Gladiator biplane fighter in Royal Air Force camouflage livery, bearing the fuselage code HP-B and RAF roundel markings, presented in a three-quarter forward view against a circular golden field occupying the central reverse. The aircraft's biplane wing configuration, fixed undercarriage, and radial engine cowling are rendered in precise illustrative detail. The upper arc of the reverse carries the legend ROYAL AIR FORCE 1939-1945, while the aircraft type name GLADIATOR appears in bold raised lettering along the lower field. A fine beaded border frames the entire design. |
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| Additional information |
Guernsey has issued commemorative 50 pence pieces under royal licence for decades, operating outside the Royal Mint's production mandate and free to contract third-party minters for themed series. This piece belongs to a run marking the 80th anniversary of the Battle of Britain, within which the Gloster Gladiator holds a specific place: the biplane was already obsolete by 1940, yet RAF and Fleet Air Arm pilots flew them against the Luftwaffe in the Norwegian campaign and over Malta, where three aircraft — Faith, Hope, and Charity — became the stuff of wartime propaganda.