- Time Period: Post-WW2
- Institution: 6 February 2012
- Country: United Kingdom & Commonwealth, Canada, Australia, New Zealand
The Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal (or Médaille du jubilé de diamant de la reine Elizabeth II in French), also known as The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal, was created in 2012 to commemorate the 60th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II’s accession in 1952.
There are four versions of this medal: one issued by the United Kingdom, another by Canada, a third for the Caribbean realms (including Antigua and Barbuda, the Bahamas, Barbados, Grenada, Jamaica, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines), and a fourth issued by Papua New Guinea.
These different versions of the medal were awarded to tens of thousands of recipients across the Commonwealth realms during the jubilee year.
The Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal Design
The Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal, named by Order in Council, was designed by Cathy Bursey-Sabourin and manufactured by the Royal Canadian Mint. The Canadian medal features a crowned effigy of the Queen with the inscription “ELIZABETH II DEI GRATIA REGINA • CANADA” on the obverse. The reverse displays the Queen’s royal cypher on a diamond shield, surrounded by maple leaves and the dates 1952 and 2012, with “VIVAT REGINA” below.
In the UK, the medal, designed by Timothy Noad, shows the Queen’s effigy by Ian Rank-Broadley on the obverse with the inscription “ELIZABETH II DEI GRATIA REGINA FID DEF.” The reverse has a faceted hexagon with a crowned royal cypher and the years 1952 and 2012.
Eight Caribbean Commonwealth realms issued their own Diamond Jubilee medals, featuring the Queen’s effigy and the inscription “DIAMOND JUBILEE HM QUEEN ELIZABETH II” on the obverse. The reverse shows the royal cypher with “CARIBBEAN REALMS” above and the years 1952–2012 below. These medals are rhodium-plated.
Papua New Guinea also issued its version, similar to the Caribbean medal but with “PAPUA NEW GUINEA” above the royal cypher.
The Canadian and British medals are suspended from a broad red ribbon with blue outer stripes and central double white stripes with a red stripe between. The Caribbean medal ribbon has a black stripe between the white stripes, and the Papua New Guinea ribbon features a lighter red with yellow replacing blue, reflecting the national flag colors.
All four versions of the medal were awarded unnamed.
