1965 Churchill Crown coins are among the most frequently encountered old coins in the UK, turning up regularly in old coin collections, antique shops, and family keepsakes. Their large size and unusual portrait make them look like something special, and unscrupulous sellers occasionally list them at inflated prices as a result. This guide covers the history of the coin, its designs, what it is made of, what it is worth, and the rarer Churchill coin variants worth knowing about.
Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965) served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom during the Second World War, leading the country's resistance against Nazi Germany. He had previously held many senior offices including First Lord of the Admiralty and Chancellor of the Exchequer, and had served on the Western Front as a soldier after resigning from government during the First World War. After leading Britain to victory in 1945 he was defeated in that year's general election, spent the following years writing his wartime memoirs - for which he received the Nobel Prize in Literature - and returned to office as Prime Minister from 1951 to 1955.
Churchill died on 24 January 1965 at the age of ninety. His state funeral was attended by representatives from 120 countries and was watched by millions on television. In 2002, a BBC public poll named him the greatest Briton of all time. He remains the only non-royal person to have appeared on a UK circulating coin since the time of Oliver Cromwell.
The Crown is one of the oldest denominations in British coinage, with origins in a gold coin minted during the reign of King Henry VIII. Silver Crowns followed a few decades later, and for three centuries the coin was produced in .925 sterling silver. Large coins at 38mm in diameter, Crowns traditionally featured a portrait of the reigning monarch on the obverse and the royal arms on the reverse.
By the twentieth century Crowns had largely fallen out of everyday use, and The Royal Mint began issuing them as commemoratives - marking coronations, jubilees, and other significant national occasions. Notable commemorative Crowns from before 1965 include the 1935 Silver Jubilee Crown (known colloquially as the "Rocking Horse" Crown for its stylised equestrian reverse), the 1951 Festival of Britain Crown, and the 1953 Coronation Crown.
The 1965 Churchill Crown continued this commemorative tradition. All Crown coins produced before 1947 were made from sterling silver; from 1947 onwards, including the 1965 issue, Crowns have been struck in cupronickel.
The Churchill Crown was approved by Parliament in March 1965, less than two months after Churchill's death. The first coins were released in September 1965, with production continuing through to the summer of 1966. A total of 19,640,000 were produced.
At the time of issue the coin had a face value of five shillings, equivalent to 25 pence in today's decimal currency. Many were saved rather than spent, which is why it is still possible to find examples in near-mint condition. Others have been well used and show significant wear.
The reverse carries a portrait of Churchill by Croatian-born sculptor Oscar Nemon - Churchill's own favourite artist, who had sculpted him on several previous occasions including a statue in the Members' Lobby of the House of Commons. The portrait shows a head-and-shoulders likeness of Churchill facing right, wearing his famous "siren suit" - the one-piece overalls he designed for wartime air-raid shelters. The word CHURCHILL appears to the upper right. It is an unconventional coin portrait, with the subject appearing to emerge from the coin's surface rather than being presented in the flat, profile tradition typical of coinage. Churchill himself had expressed admiration for Nemon's work: in 1955 he wrote that he "greatly admire[d] the art of Mr. Oscar Nemon whose prowess in the ancient realm of sculpture has won such remarkable modern appreciation."
Nemon is believed to have based the coin portrait on a marble bust of Churchill that he had created for Queen Elizabeth II. It was his first coin design.
The obverse carries a portrait of Queen Elizabeth II by British sculptor Mary Gillick. This was the first definitive coinage portrait used on the Queen's coins, introduced at the time of her coronation in 1953. It depicts a youthful Queen wearing a wreath of laurel leaves tied at the back with a bow, facing right in the traditional direction for a new monarch (British sovereigns face the opposite direction to their predecessor on coinage). The inscription reads ELIZABETH II DEI GRATIA REGINA F · D · - an abbreviated Latin phrase meaning "Elizabeth II, by the Grace of God Queen, Defender of the Faith".
The Gillick portrait is rarely seen on coins in everyday circulation today. The currency was overhauled when decimalisation took effect on 15 February 1971, and most pre-decimal coins were subsequently withdrawn.
| Specification | Detail |
|---|---|
| Face value | Five shillings / 25 pence |
| Diameter | 38.61mm |
| Weight | 28.28g |
| Alloy | Cupronickel |
| Shape | Round |
| Obverse designer | Mary Gillick |
| Reverse designer | Oscar Nemon |
| Total mintage | 19,640,000 |
| Years of production | October 1965 - summer 1966 |
| Issued by | The Royal Mint |
A standard 1965 Churchill Crown in circulated condition is worth its face value of 25p. While the coin's distinctive appearance and historical subject can give the impression of rarity, nearly 20 million were produced and they are common on the secondary market. Reputable coin dealers pay 25p for these coins as a matter of routine.
There is a modest collector market, since Churchill Crowns are no longer found in everyday change and attract interest from both coin collectors and admirers of Churchill. A good quality example might fetch £1-£2 from a collector. The Britannia Coin Company sells all standard Churchill Crowns at £1.99 including postage. You should not pay more than this for a standard circulated example.
Churchill Crowns are technically legal tender at 25p, but in practice no shops or banks will accept them. Post offices are sometimes cited as a place where old Crown coins can be exchanged, but this service is not reliably available.
No. 1965 Churchill Crowns are made from cupronickel - the same silver-coloured alloy used in much of today's everyday coinage. Crown coins were last struck in silver in 1946; the 1965 issue, despite its silver appearance, contains no precious metal. Cupronickel does have scrap value, but it is well below that of silver or gold, and Churchill Crowns are worth more as collector pieces than as raw metal.
Alongside the standard circulation issue, The Royal Mint produced a very small number of "VIP Specimen" Churchill Crowns. These were struck to a superior satin finish - finer than a standard coin but distinct from a full proof - and are believed to have been presented to notable individuals rather than sold to the public. They are extremely rare and can sell for £2,000 or more when they appear on the market.
The VIP Specimen coins may be identified by the presence of Oscar Nemon's initials - ON - on the reverse at the lower left of the design. These initials do not appear on standard circulation coins. If you believe you have a VIP Specimen, seek an expert opinion before drawing any conclusions about value. Be aware that some sellers attempt to pass off standard coins as Specimen examples.
The Royal Mint has issued several further Churchill coins since 1965, all as collector pieces rather than for circulation.
Issued in the run-up to the 2012 London Olympics, this £5 coin features a design based on the statue of Churchill in Parliament Square, the work of designer Shane Greeves and The Royal Mint's engraving department. It was issued in brilliant uncirculated and proof finishes, and in silver with colour-printed details.
Issued to mark the 50th anniversary of Churchill's death, this £5 Crown carries a close-up portrait by sculptor Mark Richards. It was produced in brilliant uncirculated, silver proof, silver proof piedfort, gold proof, and platinum proof finishes. A limited edition two-coin set was also available pairing the 2015 coin with a 1965 original.
A separate range of 2015 Churchill coins used a half-length portrait by sculptor Etienne Millner. This series included £20 brilliant uncirculated silver coins and larger silver and gold pieces in various weights.
The Britannia Coin Company buys and sells 1965 Churchill Crown coins. We pay 25p for standard circulated examples and can assess any coin you believe may be a rarer VIP Specimen. We also stock a range of later Royal Mint Churchill coins for collectors.
Visit us at 29 High Street, Royal Wootton Bassett, SN4 7AA, call 01793 205 007 (Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm), or get in touch via our website at britanniacoincompany.com.