What does the F and D stand for on a crown coin?

Answer 1

It's part of a longer Latin motto that appears on all coins of the British Commonwealth / Empire, and refers to the monarch's title as "Defender of the Faith".

The motto is heavily abbreviated, with some words spelled out a bit more if the coin's design permits. For example, "f d" is sometimes expanded to "fid def".

The entire translation is roughly:

[Insert monarch's name here], "By the Grace of God, King (Queen) of All Britain, Defender of the Faith". Before 1948 the motto also included "et Ind. Imp.", meaning "and emperor/empress of India"

Anyway, it's obvious why they abbreviated!

Answer 2

it comes from the Latin "Fidei Defensor", meaning "Defender of the Faith" - a title bestowed on King Henry VIII by the then Pope. The title has been used by all English monarchs since then. (And, strictly speaking, it's on the front of the coins - the obverse.

Answer 3

F D is an abbreviation of the Latin "Fidei Defensor", which literally translates as "Defender of the Faith", a title bestowed on King Henry VIII in 1521 by Pope Leo X for his stance against the reformation by Martin Luther. The title has been included on British and Commonwealth coins in various forms since that time, and has now been omitted from the coins of most Commonwealth countries. A particularly grand example of this title appears on Queen Victoria coins as follows - "VICTORIA DEI GRA BRITT REGINA FID DEF IND IMP", which translates to - "Victoria by the Grace of God, Queen of the British territories, Defender of the Faith, Empress of India". It is all substantially abbreviated so that it will fit on to the coin.

Answer 4

Fidei defensor which is latin for 'defender of the faith' referring to the monarch.It was the pope who gave Henry VIII that name as he protected the catholic church and so this is why F.D is on the english coins!

Answer 5

Fidi defensor. Defender of the faith.