Guernsey

Guernsey 10 shillings 1966 - 900 years of the Norman Conquest

This 10-shilling coin was issued by Guernsey in 1966 to mark the 900th anniversary of the Norman Conquest of England. In 1066, William, Duke of Normandy, landed in England, won the Battle of Hastings and became king under the name William I. Guernsey was then part of his duchy: according to tradition, William had taken control of it around 1061 after driving out pirates. This is the link that explains the choice of the subject, for the British sovereign still bears today, in the Channel Islands, the title of Duke of Normandy. Both sides are the work of the sculptor Arnold Machin, known for his portrait of Queen Elizabeth II. The coin, square with rounded corners, had legal tender, but it was mostly kept as a souvenir; it also exists in proof finish in the 1966 Guernsey box.