The Royal Mint is celebrating the Queen becoming the UK's longest-reigning monarch by releasing the country's first ever face-value £50 commemorative coin. Collectors will have the opportunity to buy one of 100,000 coins featuring portraits of both the Queen and Britannia.
The portraits have both been designed by Royal Mint engraver Jody Clark, who said it was an "honour" to have his designs selected for the coin. Jody also designed the fifth definitive portrait of the Monarch to appear on circulating coins since her ascension to the throne in 1952, which started to appear on coins from March.
A commemorative £50 coin has been released in honour of the Queen's record reign
The 33-year-old said: "Having my portrait of the Queen selected for Britain's coinage was an incredible experience, but now, seeing the portrait combined with my Britannia design on the UK's new £50 coin is a double honour."
The coins are available to buy on the Royal Mint's website now with a limited number of 100,000 coins on offer. The face-value coin follows the release of a £20 commemorative coin marking Prince George's birth in 2013, and the £100 coin engraved with an image of Big Ben to ring in 2015.
The Queen became the longest-reigning monarch in British history on 9 September, having surpassed the record set by her great-great grandmother Queen Victoria. The monarch was inundated with congratulatory messages as she reached the milestone, which she said was "not one to which I have ever aspired".
The Queen became the UK's longest-reigning monarch in September
While she was keen for celebrations of the day to remain low-key, she is set to mark another approaching milestone – her 90th birthday - in monumental style. Buckingham Palace has announced that four nights of birthday celebrations will be hosted in Windsor's Home Park, with the Queen confirmed to attend the final show on 15 May.
The Queen, who officially turns 90 on 21 April, will also mark the special day with the biggest street party ever on The Mall in London on 12 June. It was confirmed in July that 10,000 guests will be invited to the quintessentially British celebrations, set to be attended by the Queen and Prince Philip along with her grandsons Princes William and Harry and other members of the royal family.