Benedetto Pistrucci - designer of St. George and dragon 1993.

The discovery of Iceland, according to medieval sources, took place in the second half of the 9th century A.D. when Norwegians on their way to the Faroes were driven off course and came upon an unknown land further to the west. There they found Irish Christian hermits who left soon after the Norsemen arrived. On the 1100th anniversary of the settlement, the Central Bank of Iceland issued commemorative coins to mark the occasion. The coins were designed by an Icelandic artist but struck at the Royal Mint in the UK. The two coins in this set are the 1000 Kronur showing two Norsemen beside a large fire and the 500 Kronur depicting a woman leading a cow by her side. The reverse of both coins shows Iceland’s guardian spirits, a bull, a bird, a dragon and a giant. A beautiful pair of large-size Sterling silver proof coins in the case of issue, now 50 years old but as perfect as the day they were struck.

In 1967 the Royal Mint issued the last Halfcrown for circulation a denomination that had been going since the reign of King Edward VI. For those of you too young to remember, a Halfcrown was Two Shillings and Sixpence. These were the largest circulating coins issued at the time and had a decimal equivalent of 12.5p. They are dated 1967 and are in Uncirculated condition. At that time you felt lucky if you were given a Halfcrown at Christmas as a gift. On the front is the youthful portrait of Queen Elizabeth II and on the back is a crowned shield with E R at the sides with the denomination and the date.

Elizabeth II (1952- ), Sixpence, 1967. Brilliant Uncirculated.