Arrived in stock April 8th, to mark the centenary 1904 - 2004 of the Entente Cordiale between Britain and France.

Entente Cordiale
The Entente Cordiale was a colonial-era agreement signed by the British Foreign Secretary, Lord Lansdowne, and the French Ambassador, Paul Cambon, in London on 8 April 1904 with the aim of settling long-standing disputes between the UK and France in countries such as Morocco, Egypt, Siam, Madagascar, the New Hebrides, West and Central Africa and Newfoundland. But it had a wider significance in that it also represented a shift from a history overshadowed by conflict and rivalry to a sustained era of rapprochement and alliance. For example, the agreements were crucial in paving the way for Franco-British diplomatic and military cooperation in the lead-up to World War One. Today, one hundred years on, the Centenary gives us an important milestone to recall what we have been through together, to celebrate what we have achieved and, while acknowledging our differences, to recognise that there is a lot more that unites us than what divides us. We hope that the celebrations will go beyond just the official events and high-level visits. With the help of commercial partners, there will be a wide-ranging programme of events open to the public such as concerts, sports and art exhibitions. We intend these events to have a lasting benefit by raising money for the fight against cancer - which is a key issue for both countries - with funds to be channelled through charitable organisations.

Major Events
The following are a partial list of major events programmed for the celebration.

• Franco-British Summit, London. Lunch with Sponsors. Entente Cordiale Launch, 24 November 2003
• State visit by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth to France, 5 - 7 April 2004
• British Prime Minister to attend Europe Day Reception (9 May 2004) at the Elysée/Matignon for young people hosted by the French President/Prime Minister.
• 14 July Bastille Day celebrations
• Highest Level French visit to the UK, Autumn 2004
• Entente Cordiale Day at the Farnborough Air Show, July 2004

According to the Royal Mint
One hundred years ago, on April 8 1904, the Entente Cordiale was signed by Britain and France with the aim of settling long-standing disputes over colonial territories. To celebrate the 100th anniversary of this historic agreement, the British Royal Mint is issuing a new commemorative £5 crown. Designed by renowned British artist David Gentleman, the crown combines and unifies the two great icons of these two nations; Britannia and La Semeuse.
The Gold Proof crown is a remarkable tribute to this historic anniversary. Beautifully crafted in 22 carat gold, the coin is presented in a luxurious red velvet case and is accompanied by an individually numbered certificate of authenticity. Only 1,500 have been struck by the craftsmen of the Royal Mint to satisfy worldwide demand.

Gold Silver and Base Metal Versions
As from 1990, the five pound crowns have been produced in a number of different versions, and in three different metals. The non-gold versions can be found on the 2004 Crowns page of our original web site.

Prices & Availability
Advance Order Prices
Year 2004 Entente Cordiale Proof Gold Crown Prices

Version	Issue Limit	Availability	Issue Price £	Our Price £	Our Price $
Gold Proof	1,500	Ask	£555	£745	$1,490

2004 French Entente Cordiale €20 Coin

Overseas residents, please ask for details of postage & packing.

You may wish to see our page of other gold £5 coins.

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Postage & Packing
UK: At Buyer's Risk £2.50 per order
UK: Fully Insured £6 per order
EU Insured Post £10 per order
USA Airmail at Buyer's Risk $10 US, or...
USA Insured Shipping $20 US
Canada Airmail at Buyer's Risk $15 Can, or...
Canada Insured Shipping via Fedex $40 Can