1 Crown - Elizabeth II H.M.A.S. Waterhen
1993 year| Copper-nickel | 28.28 g | 38.6 mm |
| Issuer | Gibraltar (British Overseas Territories) |
|---|---|
| Queen | Elizabeth II (1952-2022) |
| Type | Non-circulating coin |
| Year | 1993 |
| Value | 1 Crown (0.25) |
| Currency | Crown Coinage (1967-date) |
| Composition | Copper-nickel |
| Weight | 28.28 g |
| Diameter | 38.6 mm |
| Shape | Round |
| Technique | Milled |
| Orientation | Medal alignment ↑↑ |
| Updated | 2024-10-08 |
| Numista | N#57523 |
|---|---|
| Rarity index | 81% |
Reverse
WWII Warship HMAS Waterhen
Script: Latin
Lettering:
1 CROWN
WARSHIPS OF WORLD WAR II
H.M.A.S. WATERHEN
Edge
Reeded
Comment
Launched on 26th March 1918 HMAS Waterhen was one of the most formidable destroyers in the Australian Royal Navy. Weighing in at 1,100 tons and bristling with firepower, the Waterhen packed 4 massive 4ft. guns and boasted 5 smaller guns with G 21 inch tubes. Throughout 1941 HMAS Waterhen had helped to keep open the lifeline of supplies to Tobruk. Under the command of Lieutenant Commander J. H. Swain, she was ferrying troops when she was attacked and disabled between 20:05 and 20:29 by German aircraft off Sidibarani in the Eastern Mediterra- nean on 30th June 1941. Whilst being towed to safety by another vessel in the fleet - The Defender - the Waterhen capsized and sunk. But although there were 134 people on board when The Waterhen was this battle-hardened bombed,
campaigner of the Australian Royal Navy went down without a single casualty.
Interesting fact
The H.M.A.S. Waterhen coin from Gibraltar features a unique design, showcasing the Royal Navy's HMS Waterhen, a World War II-era minesweeper that was converted into a survey ship. The coin's design highlights the ship's role in surveying the waters around Gibraltar, and it is a rare example of a coin that commemorates a specific military vessel.
