(official mint image of 'silver version')

 

 

Following a survey asking Britons to decide who their greatest Briton of all time was, little did they know that included in their top thirty would be three people closely linked with the tiny UK Overseas Territory, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands. Pobjoy Mint, on behalf of that Government has produced a set of three new coins honouring these distinguished three Greatest Britons. Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, the current English monarch reached number 24 in the poll and is the current Head of State of the Territory. Explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton came in at number 11. He’s buried on South Georgia after dying of a heart attack during his 1922 quest to circumnavigate the Antarctic continent. His most famous previous visit had been during the opening months of the first world war when he led an expedition which saw his ship, The Endurance, become encased in ice for 18 months and eventually break up, leaving him and his crew marooned although thanks to his perseverance and bravery, all were eventually rescued. Captain James Cook, the explorer, navigator and cartographer sailed in at number 12. He was the first known voyager to set foot on South Georgia in 1775, and named the island in honour of his King.

This is your first chance to own this stunning set of three historic coins commemorating the strong links that have existed between Great Britain and its South Atlantic territory for more than 225 years.