Elizabeth II

Elizabeth II (1926–2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and of a number of other Commonwealth realms, Head of the Commonwealth from 1952 to 2022, and a member of the House of Windsor. Her 70-year reign — the longest in the history of the British monarchy — left an exceptionally extensive numismatic legacy. For decades, portraits of Elizabeth II appeared on the coins and banknotes of many countries and territories, including the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. Five principal official coinage portraits of the Queen were used successively on circulating coins of the United Kingdom, created by Mary Gillick, Arnold Machin, Raphael Maklouf, Ian Rank-Broadley, and Jody Clark. Alongside regular coinage, her image and themes associated with her reign have appeared on numerous commemorative issues marking her coronation, jubilees, length of reign, and other events. In 2026, to mark the centenary of her birth, new commemorative coins and collections were issued, continuing this numismatic legacy.