From 1985 to 1997, UK circulating coins featured a royal portrait by the sculptor Raphael Maklouf. The portrait was couped and showed The Queen wearing the royal diadem, which she normally wears on her way to and from the State Opening of Parliament.

Unlike the earlier portraits, Maklouf’s version also shows The Queen wearing a necklace and earrings. Critics accused him of sculpting The Queen “flatteringly young”, but Maklouf responded by pointing out that his intention had been “to create a symbol, regal and ageless”.

This coin marks the year in which Her Majesty turned 70, the first cloned mammal, Dolly the sheep, was born in Scotland, England hosted the European Football Championship and the Spice Girls debuted and took over the pop-music world with their single ‘Wannabe’.