Eighty years ago at H-Hour the order went out to the waiting troops
The command turned the 6th of June 1944 from an ordinary summer’s day into a defining date in British history and so began “The Longest Day”.
The D-Day 80th Anniversary Coin Set
Now 80 years on Heritage Coins has brought together all nine coins that were struck that momentous D-Day year 1944. These are the coins used by those working in Britain on the farms and in the factories; the soldiers sailors and airmen on leave; and used by those busy in the build-up to and involved in the D-Day landings. These are not replicas or modern commemorative strikings: each coin is an original from 1944 and the D-Day era. They are quite literally the coins that helped win the day.
Hold a piece of History in Your Hands
Heritage Coins has sought fine specimens of all nine coins that were in circulation on 6 June 1944. These are all genuine coins each of them 80 years old. These coins belong to a bygone era when money still had ‘the look’ and ‘the feel’ of money. The silver coins contained real silver and our money had nicknames such as a ‘bob’ ‘tanner’ and ‘thruppenny bit’.These are authentic artefacts of the Second World War carefully curated historic coins that form a tangible and lasting connection with those who served on D-Day.
This historic coin presentation features superb heritage designs depicting some of our most powerful national symbols: majestic Britannia graces the penny; the half-crown carries the distinctive crowned shield of the Royal Arms within a garter; the florin effectively the first decimal currency at a tenth of a pound features the crowned Tudor Rose;
Britain’s smallest denomination and best-loved pre-decimal coin fittingly featured Britain’s smallest bird - the Wren. Also presented is the little lucky silver sixpence affectionately known as a ‘tanner’ and Britain’s’ favourite coin – the 12-sided thru’penny bit.
Six of the coins in this set are notable for being ‘last of their kind’ issues
The silver coins in this set were in fact the very last coins of their denomination to be struck in silver for circulation. One of the reasons why the coins in this set are so hard to acquire is precisely because they were minted in silver – the value of which exceeded their denomination and thus many were melted down for their silver content.
All nine coins in this set bear the portrait of George VI by Royal Mint engraver Thomas Humphrey Paget. The coins come displayed together in a deluxe presentation case (packaging may vary from that shown). An informative booklet and Certificate of Authenticity accompanies each D-Day 80th Anniversary Coin Set.
Included with your set - the France & Germany Star Instituted by Great Britain
in May 1945 The France-Germany Star was the campaign medal awarded to soldiers who served on land sea or air in France, Belgium, Luxembourg, the Netherlands or Germany between 6 June 1944 and 8 May 1945. These were the actual medals awarded to and worn by D-Day veterans - the soldiers who fought so bravely and sacrificed so much for the freedom we enjoy today. The obverse design bears the ‘GRI VI’ cypher ornate in a circular centrepiece surrounded by an edged band bearing the text ‘THE FRANCE AND GERMANY STAR’.
Representing the 3 colours of the union flag the design of the tri-coloured ribbon from which the medal is suspended was proposed by King George VI himself.
Due to the scarcity of these original coins all minted over 80 years ago these coins are now becoming increasingly difficult to find order your set today!
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Coin
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Year
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Reverse Design
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Half-Crown
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1944
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An elegant waisted tilting shield complete with a
ring by which it appears suspended or hung
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Florin
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1944
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Crowned Tudor Rose flanked by a thistle and a
shamrock with the initial GR underneath
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English Shilling
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1944
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British Lion Statant Guardant
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Scottish Shilling
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1944
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Crowned lion seated atop crown holding sword and
sceptre
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Sixpence
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1944
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Crowned royal cypher
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Threepence
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1944
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Three-headed 'thrift'
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Penny
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1944
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The Seated figure of Britannia with
lighthouse
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Half Penny
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1944
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Ship - The Golden Hinde
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Farthing
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1944
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The Wren
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