Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal
Encyclopedia
The Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal was a commemorative medal created in 1977 to mark the 25th anniversary of the accession to the throne of Queen Elizabeth II. The medal was physically identical in all realms where it was awarded, save for Canada
, where it contained unique elements; as an internationally distributed award, the Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal holds a different place in each country's order of precedence for honours.
to decide on a total number of medallions to be produced and allocate how many were to be distributed to each of the British Empire
and Crown dependencies
and possessions, and later Commonwealth of Nations
countries. From that point, the award of the medals was at the discretion of the local government authority. Thus, for the Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal, which was created by a Royal Warrant
from the Queen, 30,000 were distributed in Britain, 1,507 in New Zealand, 6,870 in Australia, and 30,000 in Canada.
with, on the obverse, the words ELIZABETH II DEI GRA. REGINA FID. DEF. (Latin abbreviation for: Elizabeth II, by the Grace of God, Queen, Defender of the Faith) surrounding an effigy
of Queen Elizabeth II, symbolizing her role as fount of honour
. On the reverse is a crown atop a wreath that contains the words THE 25th YEAR OF THE REIGN OF QUEEN ELIZABETH II 6 FEBRUARY 1977 in six lines. The Canadian version was identical, except that the medal was slightly thicker, the crown on the Queen's effigy was more upright, and the reverse bore a stylised maple leaf with CANADA above and the Royal Cypher
below. This medallion is worn on the left chest, suspended from a bar on a 31.8 millimetres (1.3 in) wide white ribbon with cardinal red bands along the edges, each 1mm wide, and a 7mm wide garter blue stripe down the centre, bisected by another 1mm wide line of cardinal red; the colours carried on the tradition for jubilee medals. No medal bar
s were available.
, as did private organizations in the fields of the arts, sports, philanthropy, and charity. The full membership of the Order of Canada
and Order of Military Merit
, as well as all winners of Canadian Bravery Decorations
received the Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal automatically, while for members of the Canadian Forces
, merit with length of service and prestige of current appointment was considered.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, where it contained unique elements; as an internationally distributed award, the Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal holds a different place in each country's order of precedence for honours.
History
Until 1977, the practice for coronation and jubilee medals was for authorities in the United KingdomUnited Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
to decide on a total number of medallions to be produced and allocate how many were to be distributed to each of the British Empire
British Empire
The British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom. It originated with the overseas colonies and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. At its height, it was the...
and Crown dependencies
Crown dependency
The Crown Dependencies are British possessions of the Crown, as opposed to overseas territories of the United Kingdom. They comprise the Channel Island Bailiwicks of Jersey and Guernsey in the English Channel, and the Isle of Man in the Irish Sea....
and possessions, and later Commonwealth of Nations
Commonwealth of Nations
The Commonwealth of Nations, normally referred to as the Commonwealth and formerly known as the British Commonwealth, is an intergovernmental organisation of fifty-four independent member states...
countries. From that point, the award of the medals was at the discretion of the local government authority. Thus, for the Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal, which was created by a Royal Warrant
Royal Warrant
Royal warrants of appointment have been issued for centuries to those who supply goods or services to a royal court or certain royal personages. The warrant enables the supplier to advertise the fact that they supply to the royal family, so lending prestige to the supplier...
from the Queen, 30,000 were distributed in Britain, 1,507 in New Zealand, 6,870 in Australia, and 30,000 in Canada.
Design
The Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal is in the form of a 32 millimetres (1.3 in) diameter silver discDisk (mathematics)
In geometry, a disk is the region in a plane bounded by a circle.A disk is said to be closed or open according to whether or not it contains the circle that constitutes its boundary...
with, on the obverse, the words ELIZABETH II DEI GRA. REGINA FID. DEF. (Latin abbreviation for: Elizabeth II, by the Grace of God, Queen, Defender of the Faith) surrounding an effigy
Effigy
An effigy is a representation of a person, especially in the form of sculpture or some other three-dimensional form.The term is usually associated with full-length figures of a deceased person depicted in stone or wood on church monuments. These most often lie supine with hands together in prayer,...
of Queen Elizabeth II, symbolizing her role as fount of honour
Fount of honour
The fount of honour refers to a nation's head of state, who, by virtue of his or her official position, has the exclusive right of conferring legitimate titles of nobility and orders of chivalry to other persons.- Origin :...
. On the reverse is a crown atop a wreath that contains the words THE 25th YEAR OF THE REIGN OF QUEEN ELIZABETH II 6 FEBRUARY 1977 in six lines. The Canadian version was identical, except that the medal was slightly thicker, the crown on the Queen's effigy was more upright, and the reverse bore a stylised maple leaf with CANADA above and the Royal Cypher
Royal Cypher
In modern heraldry, a royal cypher is a monogram-like device of a country's reigning sovereign, typically consisting of the initials of the monarch's name and title, sometimes interwoven and often surmounted by a crown. In the case where such a cypher is used by an emperor or empress, it is called...
below. This medallion is worn on the left chest, suspended from a bar on a 31.8 millimetres (1.3 in) wide white ribbon with cardinal red bands along the edges, each 1mm wide, and a 7mm wide garter blue stripe down the centre, bisected by another 1mm wide line of cardinal red; the colours carried on the tradition for jubilee medals. No medal bar
Medal bar
A medal bar or medal clasp is a thin metal bar attached to the ribbon of a military decoration, civil decoration, or other medal. It is most commonly used to indicate the campaign or operation the recipient received the award for, and multiple bars on the same medal are used to indicate that the...
s were available.
Canada
The medal was awarded to Canadians who had been deemed to have made a significant contribution to their fellow citizens, their community or to Canada. So that all regions of the country would be recognised equally, the federal, provincial, and civic governments all forwarded names to Rideau HallRideau Hall
Rideau Hall is, since 1867, the official residence in Ottawa of both the Canadian monarch and the Governor General of Canada. It stands in Canada's capital on a 0.36 km2 estate at 1 Sussex Drive, with the main building consisting of 170 rooms across 9,500 m2 , and 24 outbuildings around the...
, as did private organizations in the fields of the arts, sports, philanthropy, and charity. The full membership of the Order of Canada
Order of Canada
The Order of Canada is a Canadian national order, admission into which is, within the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, the second highest honour for merit...
and Order of Military Merit
Order of Military Merit
Order of Military Merit may refer to:* Order of Military Merit , National Order "For Military Merit"* Order of Military Merit * German States:** Military Merit Order ** Military Merit Order...
, as well as all winners of Canadian Bravery Decorations
Canadian Bravery Decorations
The Canadian Bravery Decorations are a group of Canadian medals awarded for bravery. They are part of the Canadian Honour System created in 1967. The awards themselves were established in 1972...
received the Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal automatically, while for members of the Canadian Forces
Canadian Forces
The Canadian Forces , officially the Canadian Armed Forces , are the unified armed forces of Canada, as constituted by the National Defence Act, which states: "The Canadian Forces are the armed forces of Her Majesty raised by Canada and consist of one Service called the Canadian Armed Forces."...
, merit with length of service and prestige of current appointment was considered.
Precedence in each realm
Some orders of precedence are as follows:| Country | Preceding | Following |
 AustraliaAustralia Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area... Order of precedence Australian Honours Order of Precedence - Order of wear :Order of precedence for the wearing of decorations and awards within the Australian Honours System.Articles marked with * are awards of the British Empire/United Kingdom and are now considered foreign.... |
Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal The Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal was a commemorative medal made to celebrate the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II.-Issue:For Coronation and Jubilee medals, the practice up until 1977 was that United Kingdom authorities decided on a total number to be produced, then allocated a proportion to... |
80th Anniversary Armistice Remembrance Medal 80th Anniversary Armistice Remembrance Medal The 80th Anniversary Armistice Remembrance Medal was a commemorative medal made to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the Armistice marking the end of World War I... |
 CanadaCanada Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean... Order of precedence Canadian order of precedence (Decorations and Medals) The following is the Canadian order of precedence for decorations and medals. Where applicable, post-nominal letters are indicated.-Awards of valour:-National orders:-Provincial orders:-National decorations:-National medals:... |
Canadian Centennial Medal Canadian Centennial Medal The Canadian Centennial Medal is a commemorative medal struck by the Royal Canadian Mint in 1967 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Canadian Confederation and was awarded to Canadians who were recommended by governments and professional, educational and cultural associations, as well as... |
125th Anniversary of the Confederation of Canada Medal 125th Anniversary of the Confederation of Canada Medal The 125th Anniversary of the Confederation of Canada Medal is a commemorative medal struck by the Royal Canadian Mint celebrating the 125th anniversary of the Confederation of Canada... |
| New Zealand New Zealand New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga... Order of precedence New Zealand Honours Order of Precedence - Order of Precedence :Order of precedence for the wearing of decorations and awards within New Zealand's honours system.Medals in bold are distinctly New Zealand awards.-Special awards:* Victoria Cross for New Zealand VC* George Cross GC... |
Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal The Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal was a commemorative medal made to celebrate the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II.-Issue:For Coronation and Jubilee medals, the practice up until 1977 was that United Kingdom authorities decided on a total number to be produced, then allocated a proportion to... |
Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal The Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal was a commemorative medal created in 2002 to mark the 50th anniversary of the accession to the throne of Queen Elizabeth II... |