Centenary of the Royal House of Windsor four-coin set issued for Falkland Islands

A set of four coins to mark the centenary of the Royal House of Windsor has been issued by Pobjoy Mint on behalf of the Falkland Islands.

The four coins, which are available in Sterling Silver or Cupro Nickel, each feature a portrait of one of the monarchs of the House of Windsor: George V, Edward VIII, George VI and Queen Elizabeth II.

This year marks 100 years since King George V made the decision to change the name of the British Royal Family to Windsor. Prior to that, the family had been known as Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, a German name inherited from Prince Albert, the royal consort of Queen Victoria.

The Royal House of Windsor

With feelings at a high towards the end of World War I, King George felt that people would feel more kindly towards the royal family if a change of name was made, and so the British-sounding name Windsor was chosen.

King George V features on the first of the coins. He was the founder monarch of the House of Windsor and saw Britain through World War I.

He died in 1936, the year which would infamously become known as the year of the three kings, since his son Edward VIII renounced the throne after less than a year, in order to marry divorcee Wallis Simpson.

The third coin in the set features Edward’s younger brother George, who became King George VI, ruling from 1936 through to his death in 1952. As king, George managed to undo some of the damage done to the monarch’s reputation because of the abdication, and he and his wife Elizabeth made themselves highly visible to the public during World War II in order to boost morale.

The last of the four coins features the current queen, Elizabeth II, who has been on the throne since 1952. She is now Britain’s longest reigning monarch and is due to celebrate the sapphire anniversary of her coronation next year.

To order the House of Windsor centenary coins visit Pobjoy Mint’s website: www.pobjoy.com

Royal House of Windsor coin details

Issue date: 9 October 2017

Diameter: 38.6mm

Weight: 28.28g