The image of the clock face of the Palace of Westminster on this £5 coin symbolizes democracy and the key role Britain has played through its Parliament in bringing democracy to the world. Big Ben also celebrated its 150th anniversary in 2009.

The inscription, 'Nations touch at their summits', by the writer Walter Bagehot, is a way of referring to the Olympic Games as the pinnacle of sporting achievement as well as to Westminster as the symbol of a nation.

In 2009 Parliament commemorated the 150th anniversary ...

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The image of the clock face of the Palace of Westminster on this £5 coin symbolizes democracy and the key role Britain has played through its Parliament in bringing democracy to the world. Big Ben also celebrated its 150th anniversary in 2009.

The inscription, 'Nations touch at their summits', by the writer Walter Bagehot, is a way of referring to the Olympic Games as the pinnacle of sporting achievement as well as to Westminster as the symbol of a nation.

In 2009 Parliament commemorated the 150th anniversary of its celebrated Clock Tower, Great Clock and Great Bell. The name Big Ben is often used to describe the tower, the clock and the bell, but it was originally given only to the Great Bell; it was likely named after Sir Benjamin Hall, First Commissioner for Works 1855—1858, whose name is inscribed on the bell itself. The 11—storey clock tower was designed by Sir Charles Barry in keeping with the neo—Gothic architecture he had chosen for the Palace of Westminster and was completed in 1859. The great clock was started on 31 May and the Great Bell's chimes were heard for the first time on 11 July.

Until recently, old pre—decimal pennies were placed or removed from the pendulum to ensure that the clock keeps accurate time within two—fifths of a second a day. Now, in celebration of Big Ben's 150th anniversary and for the first time, a Big Ben £5 coin struck by the Royal Mint has appropriately replaced some pennies.

The Big Ben proof comes in an official Royal Mint display case and includes a certificate of authenticity.