The Imperial State Crown is the one you see on the Queen’s head in photos. It contains 2,868 diamonds, plus rubies, sapphires, and emeralds. The gold alone is worth about $10 million, but the gems? Try $1.5 billion—give or take a few hundred million.
Then there’s the Sceptre with the Cross, which holds the Star of Africa diamond at its top. That single diamond, at 530 carats, is worth around $400 million. It’s so big you could pave a small driveway with it, but you’d probably get a headache from the sparkle.
The “We Don’t Talk About It” Items
There’s also the St. Edward’s Crown—the one used for the actual coronation. It’s so heavy (5 pounds) that the Queen once said it “makes your head ache.” Its value? Priceless. Which is code for: “We’re not selling, and you’re not touching it.”
And let’s not ignore the Royal Sceptre and the Globes. All told, you’re looking at 2,800 diamonds, 273 pearls, and 17 sapphires just in the crown alone. That’s like wearing a sports team’s entire salary cap on your head.
