To celebrate the Queen and Prince Philip’s 70 years of marriage, New Zealand Post has created a stunning 1oz silver proof commemorative coin.
Highlights
- Minted from 0.999 silver
- Limited worldwide mintage of 2,017
- Contains a Swarovski crystal set in place of the centre diamond
- Image of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip on their wedding day is digitally printed in the centre of the coin
- Comes in a premium royal purple display case with an individually numbered certificate
- The koru – a stylised NZ fern-leaf motif, well-known in Māori carving – encircling the coin represents four generations of the royal family.
The couple are shown in a photo from their wedding day encapsulated in an illustration replicating the Queen’s platinum engagement ring. The central 3ct diamond is represented by a sparkling Swarovski crystal.
While the Queen and Prince Philip were engaged in 1946, it was not formally announced to the world until the following year – 10 July 1947 – when Elizabeth turned 21.
Prince Philip first gave Princess Elizabeth her engagement ring on 8 July 1947. The platinum band was set with diamonds from a tiara given to his mother, Princess Alice of Greece, by the last Tsar of Russia. Unfortunately, despite Philip’s painstaking attention to detail, the ring was too large for Elizabeth’s finger. It was quickly resized so that she could wear it comfortably when the announcement was made public two days later.
This symbol of their affection is a touching reminder of their personal lives together, beyond the very public roles they have played around the world.