The Pobjoy Mint is issuing a special ultra high relief piedfort coin to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the Civil Rights Act.

The Civil Rights Act of 1866 was first enacted on April 9th 1866, almost exactly a year after the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln on April 14th 1865. Lincoln had publicly promoted the idea that black citizens be granted voting rights only three days prior. His assassin, John Wilkes Booth, as it turns out was in attendance during that speech and did as a result decide to assassinate President Lincoln.

2016 British Virgin Islands Ultra High Relief $10 Silver Coin Reverse

The Civil Rights Act of 1866 was the natural next step after Lincoln declared the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863, whereby all slaves in the United States were granted their freedom. The Civil Rights Act however, was the first major piece of legislation to define citizenship and affirm that all citizens are afforded equal protected under the law. This would pave the way for the eventually much broader civil rights movement that reached it's zenith during the 1960's in the United States.

The Ultra High Relief of the British Virgin Islands Silver $10 Commemorating 150 Years Since The 1866 Civil Rights Act

The reverse of the coin features the ultra high relief reproduction of Abraham Lincoln as memorialized in marble at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington DC. The ultra high relief was achieved with multiple strikes on a piedford(double thick) silver blanc. On either side of Lincoln's head appears the words : ABRAHAM LINCOLN” and “$10”.

The obverse features the right facing effigy of HRH Queen Elizabeth II, customarily used by the Pobjoy Mint. The obverse legend reads : “BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS” and “QUEEN ELIZABETH II 2016”.

Although the proof coin is standard crown sized at 36.6mm its piedfort status causes it to weigh in at a massive 62.206grams. The coin is presented in a walnut effect clam shell case. A limited mintage of only 650 coins has been announced. The coin is currently available at the British Pobjoy Mint or online for £120.83.