Set of two fifty pence coins

Cupro-nickel commemorative coins.Two commemorative fifty pence coins both marking the 150th anniversary of the institution of the Victoria Cross. The reverse of one coin depicts the actual award itself with the date "29 Jan 1856" on the top right hand side, the letters "VC" on the lower right hand side, the value "FIFTY PENCE" at the bottom and the designers initials "CA" on the left hand side. The second coin shows a soldier carrying a wounded comrade with an outline of the Victoria Cross surrounded by a sunburst effect in thebackground. The value "FIFTY PENCE" and the designers initials"CD" are engraved at the bottom. The obverse of both coins shows the crowned head of Queen Elizabeth II with "'ELIZABETH II D G REG FD 2006" and the designers initials "IRB" Both coins are housed in a cardboard full-colour presentation folder describing the history of the Victoria Cross.

The Victoria Cross (VC) is the highest award for gallantry in the face of the enemy. It is given without regard to rank, race, colour or creed. The original idea for the Victoria Cross was proposed by the Duke of Newcastle in 1854 and the Royal Warrant for the creation of the medal was eventually signed by Queen Victoria at Buckingham Palace on 29 January 1856. The earliest awards were made to soldiers and sailors who had fought in the Crimean War. Lieutenant Charles Lucas, who was serving the Royal Navy in the Baltic Sea in 1854, was the first person to be awarded the Cross. He received the VC for outstanding courage when he snatched up a live shell that had landed on the deck of his ship, HMS Hecla, and tossed it overboard, saving the lives of the entire crew. In total 1355 awards have been made since 1856. 96 of those have been awarded to Australians. Captain Neville Howse was the first Australian recipient of the Victoria Cross for rescuing a wounded man under heavy fire on 24 July 1900. Since 1945 there have only been twelve Victoria Crosses awarded. Four of these have been to Australians for service during the Vietnam War. The most recent Victoria Cross, announced in 2005, was that to Private Johnson Beharry, The Princess of Wales’s Royal Regiment. Beharry twice saved members of his unit from ambushes on 1 May and 11 June 2004 at Al-Amarah, Iraq.