Legendary: fewer than 100 minted. Sells often: 30 verified sales in the last 12 months.
5 Shillings - Elizabeth II British Exhibition (1960)
"New York Exhibition crown"
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Year | 1960 |
| Denomination | 5 Shillings |
| Face value | 25p |
| Mintage | 1,024,038 |
| Mint | Royal Mint · Llantrisant |
| Circulation | Circulating |
| Composition | Copper-nickel |
| Weight | 28.280g |
| Diameter | 38.6mm |
| Thickness | 3.00mm |
| Shape | Round |
| Edge | Milled |
| Orientation | Medal alignment ↑↑ |
| Obv. artist | Mary Gillick |
| Rev. artist | Edgar Fuller and Cecil Thomas |
| Grade scale | UK (EF/UNC) |
| Tags | Cat or feline Fair or exhibition Crown Flower Coat of Arms |
Young laureate bust of Queen Elizabeth II right, legend around,
ELIZABETH II DEI GRATIA REGINA F·D· M·G· FIVE SHILLINGS
The four quarterings of the Royal Arms each contained in a shield and arranged in saltire with, in the intervening spaces, a rose, a thistle, a sprig of shamrock and a leek; in the centre the Crown and in the base the date.
19 60 EF CT
5 Shillings - Elizabeth II British Exhibition market value
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Daily limit reached5 Shillings - Elizabeth II British Exhibition value by grade
Realised auction prices · ⭐ Pro Expand rows for individual sale records| Grade | Latest | Median | 30d Δ | All-time range | Sales (1yr) | Total sales | Last sale | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UNC | £9.06 🔒 eBay | £5.57 (2) | – | £2.07 – £9.06 | 2 | 2 | 30-07-2026 | |
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| VF | £8.99 🔒 eBay | £4.50 | ▼18.1% | £1.17 – £20.64 | 27 | 28 | 16-10-2026 | |
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| VG | £6.25 🔒 eBay | £6.25 (1) | – | £6.25 – £6.25 | 1 | 1 | 28-07-2026 | |
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| PR-66 | £9,813.54 🔒 | £9,813.54 (1) | – | £9,813.54 – £9,813.54 | 0 | 1 | 15-08-2024 | |
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About the 1960 5 Shillings - Elizabeth II British Exhibition
The 1960 5 Shillings - Elizabeth II British Exhibition is a circulating 5 shillings coin, struck in copper-nickel. It weighs 28.28g and measures 38.61mm across. Reverse design: The four quarterings of the Royal Arms each contained in a shield and arranged in saltire with, in the intervening spaces, a rose, a thistle, a sprig of shamrock and a leek; in the centre the Crown and in the base the date.
1,024,038 were struck.
Common questions
How much is the 1960 5 Shillings - Elizabeth II British Exhibition worth?
Verified sold prices for the 1960 5 Shillings - Elizabeth II British Exhibition run from £4.50 to £9,814 across 4 grades, taking the median for each grade. Condition makes the difference, so check the grade table above before pricing one.
How many 1960 crowns were made?
The Royal Mint gives 1,024,038 struck, a figure Wikipedia's crown table repeats. Coins of the UK adds that about 70,000 of the 1960 crowns were struck with polished dies for sale at the New York exhibition.
Is the 1960 crown rare?
It is the scarcest of the three pre-decimal crowns of Elizabeth II. Its 1,024,038 compares with 5,962,621 for the 1953 Coronation crown and 19,640,000 for the 1965 Churchill crown, but over a million is still a large number.
Why was a crown made in 1960?
It marked the British Exhibition in New York, opened by Prince Philip. The Royal Mint describes the exhibition as a chance for British manufacturers, the Mint among them, to show their products to the American market.
Is the 1960 crown legal tender?
The Royal Mint says crowns struck before 1990 remain legal tender at 25p. It notes that crowns were made for special occasions rather than everyday use, so most banks and shops will refuse them, though the Post Office has agreed to accept them.
How do I identify the 1960 5 Shillings - Elizabeth II British Exhibition?
Check the weight 28.28g and diameter 38.61mm and the metal (copper-nickel) against the specification table on this page. The reverse design is described above.
History and design
In 1960 the Royal Mint issued a crown to mark the British Exhibition in New York, which Prince Philip opened. The Mint describes the exhibition as a chance for British manufacturers, itself included, to show their products to the American market.
The Royal Mint gives 1,024,038 struck, a figure repeated in Wikipedia's crown table. That makes it the smallest of the three pre-decimal crowns of the reign, against 5,962,621 for the 1953 Coronation crown and 19,640,000 for the 1965 Churchill crown. Coins of the UK says about 70,000 of the total were struck with polished dies for sale in New York.
The obverse carries Mary Gillick's portrait of the Queen, the standard effigy on the pre-decimal coinage of the reign. The Royal Mint Museum notes that Gillick was 71 when she won the competition for it. The legend follows the inscription set by the proclamation of October 1953, which dropped BRITT OMN from 1 January 1954: ELIZABETH • II • DEI • GRATIA • REGINA • F: D: with FIVE SHILLINGS below.
The reverse repeats the 1953 Coronation design by Edgar Fuller and Cecil Thomas: the four quarterings of the Royal Arms in shields arranged in saltire, a rose, thistle, shamrock and leek between them, the Crown at the centre and the date below. Unlike the lettered 1953 crown, this coin has a milled edge.
Varieties and errors
The polished-die coins, about 70,000 according to Coins of the UK, are the only recognised distinction from the ordinary strike. No mint errors are documented for this coin.
Collecting notes
Check the high points of the portrait and the shields for wear, and the broad fields for handling marks. A coin offered as a polished-die strike should be compared with a known example, since the distinction is one of finish rather than design.
The Royal Mint says pre-1990 crowns remain legal tender at 25p, though few businesses will accept them. For the same reverse with Gilbert Ledward's mounted Queen, see the 1953 Coronation crown.
Sources
The history, design, varieties and collecting notes on this page are drawn from these sources. Prices come from recorded sales, not from them.
- 1960 Queen Elizabeth II Crown, The Royal Mint (read 10 Oct 2026)
- The Belfast Gazette, issue 1685, page 237 (proclamation of 4 October 1953), The Gazette (read 10 Oct 2026)
- Crown (British coin), Wikipedia (read 10 Oct 2026)
- Five Shillings (or Crown), Tony Clayton, Coins of the UK (read 10 Oct 2026)
- How can I dispose of commemorative crowns?, The Royal Mint (read 10 Oct 2026)
- New coins for a new monarch, Royal Mint Museum (read 10 Oct 2026)
- Mary Gillick, Royal Mint Museum (read 10 Oct 2026)
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