The Coronation Medal 1953
Overview
The Coronation Medal 1953 was issued to celebrate the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. It was awarded to citizens of the British Commonwealth both military and civilian.
Members of the British expedition to Mount Everest were awarded with engraved medals. News that two members of the expedition reached the summit on 29 May 1953 was received in London on the day of the coronation. New Zealander, Sir Edmund Hillary, one of the two climbers who conquered the mountain, was knighted and received the Coronation Medal from the new Queen at Buckingham Palace several weeks later.
Description
The Coronation Medal 1953 is silver and circular. The obverse bears the crowned effigy of Queen Elizabeth II, facing right. The reverse features the crowned Royal Cypher EIIR. The image is encircled with the inscription "QUEEN ELIZABETH II CROWNED 2nd JUNE 1953".
The dark red ribbon is 32 mm wide, with wide white edges and two narrow dark blue stripes in the centre. Ladies who were awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal can wear it on their left shoulder with the ribbon tied in the form of a bow.
There are no clasps or bars for Coronation or Jubilee Medals.
Eligibility
The Coronation Medal 1953 was awarded to members of the Royal Family, selected state officers, members of the Royal Household, government officials, mayors, public servants, local government officials, and members of the navy, army, air force, and police in Britain, her colonies, and Dominions. It was also awarded to members of the Mount Everest expedition, two of whom reached the summit four days before the coronation.
Queries & requests
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Recipients
A list of the 23 New Zealand Police recipients of the Coronation Medal 1953 can be found on p.175 of John D. Will's book, To Guard My People: Honours and Awards to the Police in New Zealand 1861-1995, published by the New Zealand Police Force in 1995.
The Supplement to the New Zealand Gazette (PDF, 2.3 MB), 2 July 1953, describes the Coronation Medal 1953 and provides a list of recipients.
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Wearing this medal
The Coronation Medal 1953 is worn with the Jubilee, Coronation Medals, and New Zealand Commemoration Medals in the New Zealand Order of Wear. It is always worn after King George VI's Coronation Medal 1937 and before Queen Elizabeth II's Silver Jubilee Medal 1977.
For more information on how to wear and care for honours, medals, and awards:
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Checking eligibility and applying for this medal
The Coronation Medal 1953 was issued to individuals selected by the United Kingdom and New Zealand governments. NZDF does not hold stock of this medal.
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Checking if this medal was issued
Honours, medals, and awards bestowed on an individual for service in the New Zealand Armed Forces are recorded in their individual service record. NZDF Personnel Archives and Medals holds a collection of about 1.5 million service records relating to 420,000 New Zealand service personnel who served in New Zealand’s Military Forces after the First World War.
Service records are not currently digitised, but we can locate it and find the information you might be looking for or help you book a time for you to see the records in Trentham by completing the form on the Service Record page.