2019 Great Britain £25 Gold Tower of London Ceremony of the Keys Proof NGC PF70UC First Struck

This Tower of London Coin Could be the “Key” to Your Collection

Great Britain’s Tower of London has stood for centuries on the north bank of the River Thames, serving at different times as a palace, a prison, a mint, a menagerie, a public records office, and the home of the fabled Crown Jewels. In 2019, the Royal Mint released a four-part series of coins dedicated to the heritage of the iconic castle-like structure. The fourth and final release in this well-received series is quite literally the “Key” to the entire collection!

Struck in a quarter ounce of 99.99% pure gold, this £25 legal-tender coin brilliantly depicts an image of a medieval-looking ring of keys tossed by a key master’s lantern. It’s a marvelous design that pays tribute to a tradition that began nearly 700 years ago by a king who was royally upset about the lackadaisical attitude of the guards posted at the Tower of London.

In the mid-1300s, the security at the Tower of London wasn’t much better than the modern practice of placing the key to the front door under the “welcome” mat. But on a frosty night in December of 1340, King Edward III arrived at the Tower of London unannounced and strolled in without so much as a challenge of “Who goes there?” The impulsive and hot-tempered monarch was, to put it lightly, not pleased. After having the Constable of the Tower arrested and placed in shackles for dereliction of duty, a furious Edward further decreed that the Tower should be securely locked every night at sunset and was not to be unlocked until sunrise. To further repair the Tower’s neglected state, Edward ordered the Sheriffs of London to contribute £40 to improvements – the equivalent of about $35,000 in today’s money!

Edward’s well-deserved temper tantrum resulted in the “Ceremony of the Keys,” the formal locking and unlocking of the Tower gate. Today the ceremony is repeated between sentries and the Yeoman Warder and is one of the oldest surviving enactments of its kind. It has been carried out promptly every night at 9:53 p.m. since the 14th Century without fail except for one night during World War II when the guards were knocked off their feet during the Battle of Britain. The guards did carry out the ceremony, though they did write a letter of apology to the King for being slightly late!

Your 2019 Great Britain £25 Tower of London Ceremony of the Keys Gold Proof has also been graded by the Numismatic Guaranty Corporation (NGC) as being in flawless Proof-70 Ultra Cameo (PF70UC) condition, a distinction that means your perfectly-graded proof will have ZERO imperfections – showing all features and fields exactly as the engraver and mint intended. In addition, NGC has certified that your proof was “One of First 15 Struck” and sonically sealed it in an acrylic holder with an exclusive London themed label.

Each coin in this four-piece series is part of a greater whole. When all four coins of the series are arranged together it completes an image of the Tower of London. It’s a fascinating aspect to these coins – but only possible if you secure this fourth and final release while it’s still available! Only 960 of these gold proofs will be struck, so reserve yours now!

• LATEST RELEASE IN TOWER OF LONDON SERIES – The Ceremony of the Keys Coin is the fourth and final release in The Royal Mint’s Tower of London series and depicts a set of keys and a lantern, along with a portion of the Tower’s outer wall. The coin’s obverse features a portrait of Queen Elizabeth II, the year date and denomination.
• STRUCK IN HIGHLY PURE GOLD – Each Tower of London Ceremony of the Keys Gold Proof was struck in a quarter ounce of highly pure 99.99% gold and measures 22 mm in diameter.
• LEGAL TENDER IN GREAT BRITAIN – These Tower of London Ceremony of the Keys Gold Proofs are £25 (twenty-five pounds) legal tender in Great Britain.
• GRADED IN PERFECT PROOF CONDITION – Your 2019 Great Britain £25 Tower of London Ceremony of the Keys Gold Proof has been graded by the Numismatic Guaranty Corporation (NGC) as being in perfect Proof-70 Ultra Cameo (PF70UC) condition.
• KEY FIRST STRUCK CERTIFICATION – NGC has certified your 2019 Great Britain Gold Tower of London Ceremony of the Keys Proof to be “One of First 15 Struck” and encapsulated it with an exclusive London themed label
• LOW LIMITED EDITION – The Royal Mint set the maximum edition limit for this gold proof at just 960 coins.

The Ceremony of the Keys is one of the most iconic and beloved traditions of Great Britain. Secure one of these fabulous Tower of London proofs now and unlock the potential of your collection!