Royal Gallery

Copper Alloy Pre-decimal One Penny (1d) Coin, England

The obverse bears the youthful portrait of Queen Elizabeth II (reigned 1952-) wearing a laurel wreath in her hair. The inscription ELIZABETH II DEI GRATIA REGINA F : D: + encircles the portrait. This portrait by artist Mary Gillick (1881-1965) was used on British coins until 1968 when new 5 pence and 10 pence coins were introduced, ahead of decimalisation in 1971. Royal portraits have been used on English coins for over 1000 years. The reverse features a seated Britannia holding Neptune's trident and shield, with the sea behind and a lighthouse on the left. The inscription ONE PENNY are placed on either side with the year, 1967, towards the bottom. Britannia, the female steadfast and ready warrior who is an emblem of Britain, first appeared on coins back in the Roman era. Charles II reintroduced Britannia onto British coins in 1672 and she remains on some of our coins to this day

© RIC, photographer Mike Searle

Order of the Bath (Military Class), 1869

George Frederick Stevenson Call was appointed Companion of the Order of the Bath in Queen Victoria's 1869 Birthday Honours. The Most Honourable Order of the Bath (formerly the Most Honourable Military Order of the Bath) is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18th May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate medieval ceremony for appointing a knight, which involved bathing (as a symbol of purification) as one of its elements. Awarded for‎: ‎Service, at the monarch's pleasure. The obverse and reverse of the medal is in the form of a silver gilt and white enamelled Maltese Cross with a silver-gilt lion between each of the arms (one lion is missing). The white enamelled centre bears three gilt crowns and a sceptre with a rose (for England), a thistle (for Scotland) and a shamrock (for Ireland). A red enamelled ring inscribed in gilt letters TRIA JUNCTA IN UNO (three joined in one) surrounds the centre within a green enamelled and silver-gilt laurel wreath. A blue enamelled ribbon sits below and is inscribed ICH DIEN (I Serve). The ribbon is crimson. TRURI : 1931.40.44

© RIC, photographer Mike Searle