Queen Elizabeth II on World Paper Money

This portrait depicts Queen Elizabeth in an evening dress, wearing a diamond necklace and diamond earrings. The diamond necklace was presented to Elizabeth in April 1947, while she was still a princess, as a gift from the people of South Africa. The necklace was originally constructed with twenty-one large diamonds, connected by links that contained two small brilliant-cut diamonds mounted to either side of a baguette diamond. Shortly after Elizabeth ascended the throne, she had the necklace shortened to fifteen large stones, with the remaining stones being made into a matching bracelet. The necklace worn in this portrait is the shortened version. The earrings worn by Queen Elizabeth are Queen Mary’s Cluster Earrings, with each earring holding a large brilliant-cut diamond set in platinum and surrounded by two circles of small diamonds. The original photograph, on which the engravings are based, was an official portrait taken around 1962 by Anthony Buckley.

Date of Original Portrait:	1962
Photographer:	Anthony Buckley
	Portrait 16a The engraving of this portrait, which was used for the Canadian 1- and 2-dollar notes issued in 1973 and for the 20-dollar notes issued in 1969 and 1979, was executed by George Gundersen of the British American Banknote Company.
Use of this Portrait:	Canada -- Nos. 85, 86, 89 and 93.
	Portrait 16b The notes of the Solomon Islands were prepared by Thomas De la Rue and this portrait is slightly different to the engraving prepared for the Canadian notes. The De La Rue image uses finer lines in the shading of the face and The Queen looks a little more severe than in the Canadian notes.
Use of this Portrait:	Solomon Islands -- Nos. 5 to 12.

HOME