Queen Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee Medal

Blazon

Suspended by a claw affixed to a clasp Argent from a ribbon Gules edged Azure bearing in the centre two pallets Argent, a medal Argent the obverse bearing a contemporary effigy of Her Majesty The Queen of Canada contourné, wearing the Royal Crown and environed by the inscriptions ELIZABETH II DEI GRATIA REGINA and CANADA separated by two maple leaves, the reverse on a diamond-cut field a bar inscribed 1952 and 2012, overall a lozenge charged with the Royal Cypher of Her Majesty The Queen set on four maple leaves in saltire, the two in base each surmounted by a scroll inscribed VIVAT and REGINA respectively;

Symbolism

The obverse depicts a crowned image of the Sovereign, in whose name the medal is bestowed. The reverse marks the sixtieth, or diamond, anniversary of the accession to the Throne of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. The anniversary is expressed by the central diamond shape, by the background composed of a pattern of diamonds, and by the two dates. The Royal Cypher, being the Royal Crown above the letters EIIR (i.e., Elizabeth II Regina, the latter word in Latin meaning “Queen”), identifies the Sovereign being honoured. The maple leaves refer to Canada, while the motto VIVAT REGINA means “Long live The Queen!”.

The ribbon uses a new arrangement of the blue, red and white colours found in the ribbons of the 1953 Coronation Medal, the 1977 Silver Jubilee Medal, and the 2002 Golden Jubilee Medal.