Guernsey 10 shillings 1966 - 900 years of the Norman Conquest

The coin's story

This ten shilling coin was issued by Guernsey in 1966 for 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 as 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 link explains the choice of subject, since the British sovereign still bears the title of Duke of Normandy in the Channel Islands today. Both sides are the work of the sculptor Arnold Machin, known for his portrait of Queen Elizabeth II. The coin, square with rounded corners, was legal tender, but it was mostly kept as a souvenir, it also exists in proof in the 1966 Guernsey set.