£5 Coin Value Guide – Rare, Commemorative & Gold Five Pound Coins.

Modern £5 Coin Overview

The £5 is a commemorative coin issued by the Royal Mint. It is not commonly used in everyday spending but is considered legal tender (though banks and shops generally don’t accept it in transactions). Collectors and gift buyers are the main audience for these pieces.

The designs varied because the £5 coin is often released to mark special occasions, like:

Royal events (jubilees, coronations, weddings, anniversaries).
National milestones (e.g., millennium celebrations).
Historical anniversaries (e.g., wars, famous figures).

The latest 5£ coin (September 2025) is the Four Nations 2025.

The obverse traditionally shows the reigning monarch’s portrait. At the moment, it is King Charles III (don’t confuse it with King Charles 50p Coins, a different denomination). A legend (inscription) encircles him, reading “CHARLES III · D · G · REX · F · D”.

The reverse features a Tudor Crown (a symbol of the monarchy). Four heraldic beasts encircle the crown: a Lion, Dragon, Stag, and Unicorn, each representing one of the four nations. The beasts represent all four nations of the UK (England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland).

We should note that the main goal is to go over a wide range of 5 pounds, so we present a general table for the denomination.

5 Pound Coin Overview (General)
Country	United Kingdom
Years of Minting	1990-today
Type:	Commemorative (collective)
Shape:	Round
Composition and metal content	Cupro-nickel ( 75% copper, 25% nickel)
Diameter	38.61mm
Weight	28.28g

Notable and Rare 5 Pound Coins

Commemorative issues are rare in general, because they last for a year or two and then stop production (like the 2016 William Shakespeare £2 lasted just a year). A rare 5 pound means we deal with rare among already rare pieces.

Here we will go over the most beloved 5 pounds, either in rarity, value, or the figures they embody.

Queen Mother £5 2000

Mintage: ~3,717,000.
Approx. Value: £8–£15 (base version), £40–£80 (silver proof). Queen Mother 5 pound coin 2000 value for gold proofs is £2000+.

The piece was issued to celebrate the 100th birthday of Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother. The reverse design shows her smiling portrait surrounded by a garland of roses. Very popular at the time, with millions produced, so not very rare in cupro-nickel, but silver and gold editions are highly collectible.

Charles and Diana £5

Mintage: ~26,773,600 (one of the highest for £5).
Approx. Value: £2–£5 (base), £30–£70 (silver proof), £1,000 +. How much a Charles and Diana 5 pound coin is worth depends on the market and the kit you’re buying (some come with accessories).

The piece was designed for the Royal Wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer. The reverse shows conjoined profiles of Charles and Diana. Very common in base metal because so many were made, but proof and gold issues are more desirable.

Fun fact: It was the first time the UK piece showed 3 people simultaneously: Diana, Charles, and Elisabeth on the other side.

Princess Diana £5 Coin

Mintage: ~5,000,000.
Approx. Value: £10–£20 (base), £60–£120 (silver proof), £1,000+ (gold proof).

Issued to mark the life and legacy of Diana, Princess of Wales, two years after her passing. The reverse features a profile portrait of Diana with the inscription “In memory of Diana, Princess of Wales”. It remains one of the most popular modern £5 coins among collectors and the public.

In the US, a similar situation happened. After President Roosevelt passed away, a year later, a 1946 Roosevelt dime was made to commemorate his life achievements.

Paul McCartney £5 Coin

Mintage: The exact mintage is not known. About ~25,000 silver proofs, and ~100–300 gold proofs.
Approx. Value: £25–£40 (BU), £120–£200 (silver proof), £2,000+ (gold proof)

Part of the Royal Mint’s Music Legends series, celebrating Sir Paul McCartney of The Beatles. The design includes a stylised guitar and references to his legendary music career. Popular with both coin collectors and Beatles fans worldwide, keeping demand (and values) strong.

It’s a rare example when non-royalty appears on five pounds. The US, on the other hand, often features cultural icons on commemorative pieces. For example, the 2024 Celia Cruz quarter.

Gold and Other Variations

Coloured Paul McCartney £5 Coin and a Gold Queen Mother coin.

Like any other commemorative pieces, all the notable coins we’ve observed, and most other 5 pounds come in different metal compositions. From cheaper nickel to the precious gold:

Base Metal (Cupro-Nickel / BU): A standard non-precious metal version, usually issued for commemorative pieces. The metal bus itself is cheap, allowing a big mintage number.
Coloured Pieces: Some £5 bits are struck in cupro-nickel or silver with coloured printing applied on the reverse. Due to a smaller mintage and a little presence of silver, it has a higher value. Coloured versions are a relatively modern trend, appearing on Paul McCartney or Beatrix Potter 50p coins.
Silver Proofs: The pieces are struck in .925 sterling silver (older issues) or .999 fine silver (newer issues), with polished dies for a mirror-like “proof” finish. Highly valuable bullion-wise. Some coins have even more silver and weigh more, called Silver Piedfort pieces.
Gold Proos: Most are struck in 22 carat or 24 carat gold, polished to proof quality. Their mintage is very tiny, and the value is always more than a thousand pounds.

General 5 Pound Coin Value

As we said, there’s a wide array of this denomination. We already know the values of the more popular pieces. But how much is a £5 coin worth for most other 5 pounds?

The answer is easier than you think. How much is a 5 pound coin worth mostly depends on the metal, at least when we talk about modern pieces (2010+). They rarely have errors and bear a similar mint state, so only the bullion value influences them.

Type	Typical Market Value Today
Base Metal (Cupro-Nickel)	Usually £6–£15 (modest premium over face value). Common pieces with very high mintages often trade for just £5–£8.
Coloured Cupro-Nickel BU	£20–£40, depending on demand.
Silver Proof	£70–£150. Popular designs (Princess Diana, Queen, Beatles) can push values higher.
Gold Proof	£1,500–£5,000+, depending on rarity, demand, and current gold prices.

Other “5” Denominations

Consider this part a bonus, as we’ve already gone over the essential info on 5 pounds.

British Coinage has seen many denominations come and go, and some of them are even connected (and sometimes confused) with pounds.

5 Shilling Coin (Crown): A predecessor to the denomination of today’s article. Before decimalisation in 1971, the Crown was used as a commemorative piece (for example, a fabulous 1953 5 shilling coin for the coronation). Today, 5 pounds have fully replaced the shilling.
5 Pence Coin: After decimalisation, 5 pence also replaced the shillings. It is not used for commemorative purposes (not to the extent of 5 pounds at least), but circulates in big numbers.
5 Cent Coin: A worldwide denomination, in the US and Canada, but not in the UK.

A bonus question: What is the name of an obsolete English coin 5 letters?

We haven't talked about this piece, and likely only a historian and/or a connoisseur of UK coinage could answer.

The answer is… A noble! Yes, at one point, one denomination had this classy name. It was minted in 1344–1346 during the reign of King Edward III. You can find golden nobles on sale even today.

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