Quick Coinage Facts
Years Minted: 1964
Composition: 50% Silver
Diameter: 36 mm
Weight: 22.62 grams (0.3636 oz. actual silver weight)
Mintages: 470,000
Obverse Design: Bust
Reverse Design: Coat of Arms
Unique Features:
Introduction
Large, shiny, & silver…all the attributes that attract a world crown size coin collector and the Bermuda Crown will not disappoint. Coming in at a diameter of 36 mm this will not be the largest coin in your collection but it will be one of the easiest to obtain.
Though it has a circulating mintage of only 470,000, many pieces were put away and can easily be found in a grade range from Almost Uncirculated (AU) to Brilliant Uncirculated (BU) at affordable prices.
Designed by Cecil Thomas, the obverse features the bust of Queen Elizabeth II facing right. On the outer periphery are the words “DEI GRATIA REGINA” (By the Grace of God, Queen), and “ELIZABETH II”.
The reverse, designed by Geoffrey Colley, features the coat of arms of Bermuda. Below is the Bermudan motto QUO FATA FERUNT (Whither the Fates Carry [Us]) on a scroll, while above is the inscription ONE BERMUDA CROWN
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Beginning and End of the Crown
1964 was the last official Crown issued. By February of 1970, Bermuda converted from the “Pound Sterling” currency to the “Dollar” as their new standard currency system.
Prior to 1964, the only other crown issued was the 1959 350th Colony Founding Anniversary coin. The mystery is why they would issue a Crown coin knowing that they had plans to convert to the dollar and why silver? The answer more than likely comes from a couple of reasons. During the 1960s, the price of silver was quickly rising and many countries, including the U.S. and Canada, had announced that 1964 would be the last year of minting silver coinage due to costs. This probably represented Bermuda’s last and best opportunity to issue one final silver coin from their “Sterling Pound” era of coinage, more or less a public memento, before transitioning to a dollar coin.