1 Crown - Elizabeth II 1994

Weight

28.28 g

Diameter

38.6 mm

Thickness

NA

Material

Silver (.925)

Shape

Round

Edge Type

Reeded

Technique

Milled

Front design

Effigy of queen Elizabeth II facing right

Back design

Sherlock and Moriarty falling to their 'death'

Year of Minting

1994

Queen

Elizabeth II (1952-2022)

Mint location

(PM) Pobjoy Mint , Surrey, United Kingdom (1965-2023)

Mint mark

NA

Orientation

Medal alignment ↑↑

Inscriptions

Obverse: ELIZABETH II GIBRALTAR 1994 RDM PM Reverse: 100th ANNIVERSARY OF THE RETURN OF SHERLOCK HOLMES THE FINAL PROBLEM 1 CROWN

Context

Sherlock Holmes, the remarkable detective based in Victorian London, has to be one of the best known and most enduring fictional characters of all time. He wvas first introduced to the public in 1887, in serialised stories written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. The stories were narrated by another fictional character, Dr Watson, who was Holmes' loyal companion and biographer. Conan Doyle managed to inspire such feeling for Holmes in his readers that the character's 'death' in 1894 caused a public outcry. As a consequence, the author felt obliged to 'resurrect' Holmes soon afterwards in a story whose Centenary this set of coins was to commemorate. Appropriately, Sherlock Holmes was something of a numismatist and is desbribed as owning a collection of coins in ‘The Musgrave Ritual'. There is also a strong connection with Gibraltar: see coin number 6, 'The Mary Celeste', and the book by Sam Benady 'Sherlock Holmes in Gibraltar – the true solution to the mystery of the –Mary Celeste'. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle is also known to have visited the ‘Rock’. The coins were issued in Cupro Nickel, Sterling Silver and 1/5oz Fine 999.9 Gold. The portrait of Sherlock Holmes was also available in 1/2oz Fine Silver and in CuNi in a colour pack. This coin depicts an extract from the story published in 1894, in which Holmes appears to meet his match in the shape of the ruthless Professor Moriarty. Coin shows Holmes, struggling with the professor, who is about to send the detective tumbling over a ravine.

Rarity

Ultra rare

Coin type

Non-circulating

In circulation

Yes

Demonetized

No

Marketplace listings

0