1 Crown - Elizabeth II 1993

Weight

28.28 g

Diameter

38.61 mm

Thickness

NA

Material

Silver (.925)

Shape

Round

Edge Type

Reeded

Technique

Milled

Front design

Right facing uncouped bust of Queen Elizabeth II, wearing the George IV State Diadem, legend and date around

Back design

Bust of General Sikorski with aircraft and Rock of Gibraltar in background

Year of Minting

1993

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 · 1993 RDM PM Reverse: INTERNATIONAL FRIENDSHIP POLAND · POLSKA JULY 4 1943-1993 LIBERATOR GENERAL SIKORSKI 1 CROWN

Context

Soldier and statesman, Wladyslaw Sikorski worked tirelessly to steel the patriotism of his countrymen. His own zeal had been forged fighting for freedom from Tsarist rule. After Pilsudski's coup in 1926 he had left Poland, but returned in 1938 to promote alliance with Britain and France. When Poland was invaded by Germany and Russia in 1939, he fled and fought in France. When Poland collapsed, he was appointed premier of the government in exile and c-in-c of the Free Polish forces. In 1941 he signed a treaty with the Soviet Union repudiating the partition of Poland and allowing General Anders to raise an army of Polish POW's, notably 8000 officers known to be held near Smolensk. This activity exposed evidence of the Katyn massacre and in April 1943 Sikorski requested an investigation. Churchill refused in order to preserve Polish-Soviet relations. He failed and Sikorski died in an air crash at Gibraltar 3 months later.

Rarity

Ultra rare

Coin type

Non-circulating

In circulation

Yes

Demonetized

No

Marketplace listings

0