A year of action 

1958 was a year of transformation and action. The United States catapulted into the space race by establishing NASA, thanks to President Dwight D. Eisenhower’s National Aeronautics and Space Act, just as Sputnik, the USSR's pioneering satellite, re-entered Earth's atmosphere and disintegrated. In a seismic shift in showbiz, rock 'n' roll king Elvis Presley was drafted into the US Army. Meanwhile, Gibson's patent for the iconic ‘Flying V’ electric guitar set the stage for future rock legends like Jimi Hendrix, Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top, and Dave Davies of the Kinks.  

In addition to these cultural transformations, the striking of the 1958 Sovereign was also a pivotal moment in His Majesty’s royal legacy as it was struck during the year he was annointed the Prince of Wales.