1985 Queen Elizabeth Falkland Islands Self Sufficiency 4.46 oz Silver

• Mintage of just 20,000

• Produced by the Royal Mint in .925 fine Silver

• One of the most beautiful depictions of young Queen Elizabeth

One of the most beautiful depications of young Queen Elizabeth was featured on this amazing Falkland Islands large size silver proof!  Containing 150 grams of .925 fine silver (4.4607 ozs asw) and a huge 65 mm diameter, the 1985 Self Sufficiency commemorative is an attractive addition to any collection.   Comes in the original royal mint presentation box and accompanied with certificate of authenticity.

History:  The first European mention of what are now the Falkland islands is credited to a Dutch explorer, but separate expeditions of British and French explorers established colonies on the two principal islands in 1690, unbeknownst to each other. The islands were given the name Falkland’s by the British commander after the admiralty commissioner (Lord Falkland) that financed that expedition. The falkland islands have been under British sovereignty since 1832, when two British warships were sent to the islands to re-assert British possession over the claimed rights. The SS Great Britain, figures prominently on the reverse of this attractive coin, was an advanced passenger steamship for the great western steamship company. Built in 1843, she was famous in her day as the largest vessel afloat, and held the transatlantic crossing record of 14 days.  Self sufficiency in the islands was determined by 1885, owing to sheep farming based primarily around the capital of Port Stanley on East Falkland Island.

In 1982, Argentina invaded the Falklands and other British possessions in the south Atlantic. The Falklands war was highly publicized and Britain’s expeditionary force defeated Argentinian air naval and land forces forcing Argentine surrender. The United Kingdom has, since the end of the war, vowed to improve the economic situation in the Falklands and promote continued self-sufficiency.