New £5 coin launched to mark the Queen’s 95th birthday

It will be one of five coins released by the Royal Mint to mark a series of anniversaries in 2021, including the Queen's birthday in April.

The others will feature science fiction author HG Wells, Scottish novelist Sir Walter Scott, TV pioneer John Logie Baird and a coin to mark the 50th anniversary of decimal day.

Why is there a new £5 coin?

Queen Elizabeth II will become the first British monarch to reach the age of 95 on 21 April 2021.

The Royal Mint has issued a new £5 coin to commemorate events of national importance, often with a royal theme, since 1990.

The first £5 coin marked the Queen Mother's 90th birthday and several £5 coins have since marked key anniversaries for the Queen.

What will be on the £5 coin?

The special coin will display the Queen’s year of birth (1926) and the present year (2021) and the royal cipher “EIIR”.

There will also be a short quote on the coin - “My heart and my devotion” - which references part of the first televised Christmas broadcast in 1957.

During her speech, the Queen said: “In the old days the monarch led his soldiers on the battlefield and his leadership at all times was close and personal.

“Today things are very different. I cannot lead you into battle, I do not give you laws or administer justice, but I can do something else. I can give you my heart and my devotion to these old islands and to all the peoples of our brotherhood of nations.”

What other commemorative coins will be issued?

A £2 coin will celebrate the 250th anniversary of the birth of influential Edinburgh novelist Sir Walter Scott, whose work includes The Waverley Novels.

A second £2 coin will be issued to mark the 75th anniversary of the death of HG Wells - author of The War Of The Worlds and The Time Machine.

The 75th anniversary of the death of Scottish inventor John Logie Baird will be marked on a 50p. The Helensburgh-born engineer is most famous for being the first person to demonstrate a working television.

The fifth coin of the set - another 50p - will commemorate the 50th anniversary of the day the British currency was updated from shillings, pounds and pence to the decimal system.

Where can I buy the commemorative coins?

Sets of commemorative coins are available from the Royal Mint website in a variety of finishes, costing from £150 up to £7,100.

Can I use them as currency?

The coins are legal tender and can be used in shops, if accepted, but are intended as souvenirs to be kept safe, which is reflected in the cost from the Royal Mint.