The Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow II Anniversary was launched when Rolls-Royce existed 75 years. Since the company was founded in 1904 the celebration of 75 years of existence took place in 1979.
The Silver Shadow II Anniversary can be recognised by red badges on the raidiator grille and boot lid. Furthermore every Anniversary has a plaque in the glove compartment of the dashboard.
A Georgian silver Anniversary with the red badge on the grille.
Silver Shadow II and one Camargue
The red badges were only applied to Rolls-Royces and not to Bentleys, for Rolls-Royce existed 75 years, and not Bentley. Only 4-door saloons were provided with red signs, not long wheelbases and not Corniches. But there were two exception. The Rolls-Royce Camargue with chassisnumber JRH50085 was an anniversary Camargue, and was finished in the one-off colour Coronation Blue Fire Mist. And also one Silver Wraith II was equipped as an Anniversary, the LRH38478.
Colourscheme
All cars that were destined for the American and Canadian market, had the colourscheme Georgian silver with grey and red interior. All cars for the other markets had this or other colours. Colours I've met are gold, silver sand, royal blue over grey (2-tone with black interior), peacock blue, walnut over honey, other dark blue colours, honey, and so on. All those cars had a red badge, whether this was a good combination of colours or not.
A RHD Anniversary with the colour Silver sand.
The first and the last Anniversary
An anniversary could be ordered, but the customer didn't have to. The "special charges" of a "75th Anniversary car" were £ 290. The first Anniversary was SRH37987, the last one SRH39865. Production of the Anniversaries started in July 1979 and ended in November 1979. Many Anniversaries were delivered in 1980.
The gray and red interior of an American Anniversary.
Number of Anniversaries
Three separate plaques exist. The texts are:
This motor car is one of 75 for our United Kingdom customers with a special badge to mark the 75th Anniversary of Rolls-Royce.
This motor car is one of 75 for our overseas customers with a special badge to mark the 75th Anniversary of Rolls-Royce.
This motor car is one of 75 designed in a special colour scheme for our overseas customers to mark the 75th Anniversary of Rolls-Royce.
The text of the press release about these Anniversaries is:
"LYNDHURST, N.J. - Seventy five "special" Rolls-Royce cars are to be sold in the United States to mark the 75th anniversary of the first car built by Henry Royce.
These anniversary Silver Shadow II cars will be finished in Georgian silver with charcoal grey leather upholstery and red carpets. A small plaque will be fitted inside the glove compartment where it will not be "ostentatious" says Rolls-Royce Motors.
Another feature of the special cars is likely to be spotted only by the observant. The famous RR badge, normally painted in black, will be in red. Legend claims that the badge lettering was changed from red to black to mark the death of Sir Henry Royce in1933. In fact, Sir Henry had himself decided to change the lettering as black was better suited to the color schemes.
Each car will be sold with a "certificate of authenticity" and the serial numbers will be kept in a private file at the factory in Crewe, England. Rolls-Royce officials are determined to prevent any fraudulent "conversions" or copies of the car being passed off as genuine.
An additional 75 anniversary cars will be sold in Britain and a third batch of 75 will be sold in other countries.
George Lewis, president of Rolls-Royce Motors Inc., the British company's subsidiary in this country, said he expects these special cars to start arriving in the United States in the Fall. He predicts they will rapidly become collectors's items and will be eagerly sought."
Reading this text and these plaques there were three markets where Rolls-Royce celebrated its jubilee, which wold make a total of 225 Anniversaries. However, this number was not sold. I have visited the archives in the Hunt House in Paulerspury, Engeland, and investigated the real Anniversary story. I used the Car Specification Sheets and Warranty Acknowledgements to compose the list on this page.
In January 2012 Tony Flood published in the RREC Bulletin the next data about the Anniversaries:
- The initial plan was for 75 Silver Shadow II cars to be built for each market region and referred to as "Anniversary" cars.
- This policy was strictly adhered to for the USA, which had the stipulated number (75) built and delivered.
- In addition 10 Silver Shadow II cars were built for Canada having the same specification applied as those built for the USA.
- The UK market had 72 Silver Shadow II cars built for this anniversary, and one Silver Wraith II, plus a Camargue.
- For the remaining overseas markets a further 53 Silver Shadow II cars were built.
So finally 212 Anniversaries were built.
Tony Flood has helped a lot with compiling this list, which was of great value. Tony spent over 40 years in the factory in Crewe and he disposes of many interesting data about the manufacturing of Silver Shadow models.
Three different plaques with Anniversary texts.
In the next table the chassisnumbers of the Anniversaries are listed. In the first column there is a counter. In the third column the country is mentioned where the car would be used when new. This country determines the kind of plaque that is present in the cubby box. The signs in the 4th, 5th and 6th column mean:
(1) = United Kingdom customer
(2) = Overseas customer
(3) = Designed in a special colour scheme for the overseas customer (American and Canadian market).
Number |
Chassisnumber |
For use in country |
(1) |
(2) |
(3) |
|
|
Total |
74 |
53 |
85 |
1 |
SRH37987 |
Great Britain |
X |
|
|
|
SRH38062 |
Great Britain |
X |
|
|
|
SRK38076 |
United States |
|
|
X |
|
SRK38078 |
United States |
|
|
X |
|
SRK38083 |
United States |
|
|
X |
|
SRK38087 |
United States |
|
|
X |
|
SRK38089 |
United States |
|
|
X |
|
SRH38097 |
Great Britain |
X |
|
|
|
SRH38102 |
Great Britain |
X |
|
|
10 |
SRH38109 |
Great Britain |
X |
|
|
|
SRK38161 |
United States |
|
|
X |
|
SRK38163 |
United States |
|
|
X |
|
SRH38166 |
Great Britain |
X |
|
|
|
SRK38167 |
United States |
|
|
X |
|
SRK38169 |
United States |
|
|
X |
|
SRK38173 |
United States |
|
|
X |
|
SRH38174 |
Great Britain |
X |
|
|
|
SRK38175 |
United States |
|
|
X |
|
SRK38179 |
United States |
|
|
X |
20 |
SRK38181 |
United States |
|
|
X |
|
SRH38183 |
Great Britain |
X |
|
|
|
SRK38184 |
United States |
|
|
X |
|
SRK38186 |
United States |
|
|
X |
|
SRH38187 |
Great Britain |
X |
|
|
|
SRK38190 |
United States |
|
|
X |
|
SRK38194 |
United States |
|
|
X |
|
SRH38195 |
Great Britain |
X |
|
|
|
SRK38198 |
United States |
|
|
X |
|
SRH38199 |
Great Britain |
X |
|
|
30 |
SRH38201 |
Great Britain |
X |
|
|
|
SRK38202 |
United States |
|
|
X |
|
SRH38203 |
Great Britain |
X |
|
|
|
SRK38207 |
United States |
|
|
X |
|
SRK38211 |
United States |
|
|
X |
|
SRH38212 |
Great Britain |
X |
|
|
|
SRK38213 |
United States |
|
|
X |
|
SRH38215 |
Great Britain |
X |
|
|
|
SRK38216 |
United States |
|
|
X |
|
SRH38217 |
Great Britain |
X |
|
|
40 |
SRH38221 |
Great Britain |
X |
|
|
|
SRK38222 |
United States |
|
|
X |
|
SRH38223 |
Great Britain |
X |
|
|
|
SRK38224 |
United States |
|
|
X |
|
SRH38227 |
Great Britain |
X |
|
|
|
SRK38228 |
United States |
|
|
X |
|
SRH38229 |
Great Britain |
X |
|
|
|
SRK38230 |
United States |
|
|
X |
|
SRH38231 |
Great Britain |
X |
|
|
|
SRH38232 |
Japan |
|
X |
|
50 |
SRH38234 |
Great Britain |
X |
|
|
|
SRH38235 |
Great Britain |
X |
|
|
|
SRK38236 |
United States |
|
|
X |
|
SRH38238 |
Great Britain |
X |
|
|
|
SRK38239 |
United States |
|
|
X |
|
SRK38241 |
United States |
|
|
X |
|
SRH38242 |
Great Britain |
X |
|
|
|
SRK38244 |
Hawai |
|
|
X |
|
SRH38245 |
Great Britain |
X |
|
|
|
SRK38246 |
United States |
|
|
X |
60 |
SRH38248 |
Great Britain |
X |
|
|
|
SRK38249 |
United States |
|
|
X |
|
SRH38250 |
Great Britain |
X |
|
|
|
SRH38251 |
Great Britain |
X |
|
|
|
SRH38253 |
Great Britain |
X |
|
|
|
SRH38255 |
Great Britain |
X |
|
|
|
SRH38257 |
Great Britain |
X |
|
|
|
SRH38277 |
Great Britain |
X |
|
|
|
SRH38279 |
Great Britain |
X |
|
|
|
SRK38280 |
United States |
|
|
X |
70 |
SRH38281 |
Great Britain |
X |
|
|
|
SRK38283 |
United States |
|
|
X |
|
SRH38284 |
Great Britain |
X |
|
|
|
SRH38286 |
Great Britain |
X |
|
|
|
SRK38287 |
United States |
|
|
X |
|
SRH38288 |
Great Britain |
X |
|
|
|
SRH38291 |
Great Britain |
X |
|
|
|
SRH38293 |
Great Britain |
X |
|
|
|
SRK38294 |
United States |
|
|
X |
|
SRH38295 |
Great Britain |
X |
|
|
80 |
SRH38296 |
Great Britain |
X |
|
|
|
SRK38297 |
United States |
|
|
X |
|
SRH38298 |
Great Britain |
X |
|
|
|
SRH38300 |
Great Britain |
X |
|
|
|
SRK38301 |
United States |
|
|
X |
|
SRH38302 |
Great Britain |
X |
|
|
|
SRH38303 |
Great Britain |
X |
|
|
|
SRH38304 |
Great Britain |
X |
|
|
|
SRH38306 |
Northern Ireland |
X |
|
|
|
SRK38307 |
United States |
|
|
X |
90 |
SRH38308 |
Jersey CI |
X |
|
|
|
SRH38310 |
Great Britain |
X |
|
|
|
SRK38311 |
United States |
|
|
X |
|
SRH38312 |
Great Britain (Scotland) |
X |
|
|
|
SRH38313 |
Great Britain |
X |
|
|
|
SRH38315 |
Great Britain |
X |
|
|
|
SRK38316 |
United States |
|
|
X |
|
SRH38317 |
Great Britain |
X |
|
|
|
SRK38318 |
United States |
|
|
X |
|
SRK38321 |
United States |
|
|
X |
100 |
SRH38322 |
Great Britain |
X |
|
|
|
SRK38325 |
United States |
|
|
X |
|
SRH38326 |
Great Britain |
X |
|
|
|
SRH38329 |
Great Britain |
X |
|
|
|
SRH38331 |
Great Britain |
X |
|
|
|
SRH38350 |
Great Britain |
X |
|
|
|
SRH38351 |
Great Britain |
X |
|
|
|
SRK38352 |
Canada |
|
|
X |
|
SRH38354 |
Great Britain |
X |
|
|
|
SRH38356 |
Great Britain |
X |
|
|
110 |
SRH38358 |
Great Britain |
X |
|
|
|
SRH38359 |
Great Britain |
X |
|
|
|
SRX38360 |
Japan |
|
X |
|
|
SRH38361 |
Great Britain |
X |
|
|
|
SRH38363 |
Great Britain |
X |
|
|
|
SRH38365 |
Great Britain |
X |
|
|
|
SRH38366 |
Australia |
|
X |
|
|
SRH38367 |
Great Britain |
X |
|
|
|
SRX38371 |
Japan |
|
X |
|
|
SRH38375 |
Great Britain |
X |
|
|
120 |
SRH38376 |
Australia |
|
X |
|
|
SRH38383 |
Great Britain |
X |
|
|
|
SRX38385 |
Bahrain |
|
X |
|
|
SRH38388 |
Hong Kong |
|
X |
|
|
SRH38396 |
South Africa |
|
X |
|
|
SRH38423 |
Great Britain |
X |
|
|
|
SRX38424 |
Saudi Arabia |
|
X |
|
|
SRX38428 |
Qatar |
|
X |
|
|
SRX38432 |
Saudi Arabia |
|
X |
|
|
SRX38436 |
Qatar |
|
X |
|
130 |
SRX38440 |
Saudi Arabia |
|
X |
|
|
SRX38444 |
Kuwait |
|
X |
|
|
SRX38452 |
Jordan |
|
X |
|
|
SRX38456 |
Germany |
|
X |
|
|
SRX38460 |
Germany |
|
X |
|
|
SRX38464 |
Germany |
|
X |
|
|
LRH38478 |
Great Britain |
X |
|
|
|
SRX38495 |
Netherlands |
|
X |
|
|
SRH38496 |
Isle of Man |
|
X |
|
|
SRX38499 |
Switzerland |
|
X |
|
140 |
SRX38503 |
Switzerland |
|
X |
|
|
SRH38507 |
Japan |
|
X |
|
|
SRX38511 |
Switzerland |
|
X |
|
|
SRX38515 |
Italy |
|
X |
|
|
SRX38520 |
France |
|
X |
|
|
SRX38530 |
Italy |
|
X |
|
|
SRX38536 |
Italy |
|
X |
|
|
SRH38537 |
Ireland |
|
X |
|
|
SRX38573 |
Japan |
|
X |
|
|
SRX38657 |
Germany |
|
X |
|
150 |
SRK38659 |
United States |
|
|
X |
|
SRX38661 |
Belgium |
|
X |
|
|
SRK38663 |
United States |
|
|
X |
|
SRK38667 |
United States |
|
|
X |
|
SRX38665 |
Italy |
|
X |
|
|
SRH38669 |
New Zealand |
|
X |
|
|
SRK38671 |
United States |
|
|
X |
|
SRX38673 |
Italy |
|
X |
|
|
SRK38675 |
United States |
|
|
X |
|
SRX38677 |
Monaco |
|
X |
|
160 |
SRK38679 |
United States |
|
|
X |
|
SRX38681 |
Jordan |
|
X |
|
|
SRK38683 |
United States |
|
|
X |
|
SRH38685 |
Hong Kong |
|
X |
|
|
SRH38686 |
Great Britain |
X |
|
|
|
SRK38687 |
United States |
|
|
X |
|
SRX38689 |
Switzerland |
|
X |
|
|
SRK38691 |
United States |
|
|
X |
|
SRX38693 |
Switzerland |
|
X |
|
|
SRK38695 |
United States |
|
|
X |
170 |
SRX38697 |
Switzerland |
|
X |
|
|
SRK38699 |
United States |
|
|
X |
|
SRK38703 |
United States |
|
|
X |
|
SRK38706 |
United States |
|
|
X |
|
SRK38708 |
United States |
|
|
X |
|
SRX38709 |
Bahrain |
|
X |
|
|
SRK38711 |
United States |
|
|
X |
|
SRK38713 |
United States |
|
|
X |
|
SRX38714 |
Bahrain |
|
X |
|
|
SRK38716 |
United States |
|
|
X |
180 |
SRK38718 |
United States |
|
|
X |
|
SRK38721 |
United States |
|
|
X |
|
SRX38723 |
Kuwait |
|
X |
|
|
SRK38724 |
United States |
|
|
X |
|
SRK38726 |
United States |
|
|
X |
|
SRX38728 |
Dubai |
|
X |
|
|
SRK38730 |
United States |
|
|
X |
|
SRK38732 |
United States |
|
|
X |
|
SRX38735 |
Saudi Arabia |
|
X |
|
|
SRK38737 |
United States |
|
|
X |
190 |
SRK38739 |
United States |
|
|
X |
|
SRX38741 |
Saudi Arabia |
|
X |
|
|
SRK38743 |
United States |
|
|
X |
|
SRK38744 |
United States |
|
|
X |
|
SRX38746 |
Jordan |
|
X |
|
|
SRK38779 |
United States |
|
|
X |
|
SRK38781 |
United States |
|
|
X |
|
SRX38783 |
Japan |
|
X |
|
|
SRK38785 |
United States |
|
|
X |
|
SRK38788 |
Canada |
|
|
X |
200 |
SRK38792 |
Canada |
|
|
X |
|
SRK38794 |
Canada |
|
|
X |
|
SRK38798 |
Canada |
|
|
X |
|
SRK38801 |
Canada |
|
|
X |
|
SRK38805 |
Canada |
|
|
X |
|
SRK38807 |
Canada |
|
|
X |
|
SRK38811 |
Canada |
|
|
X |
|
SRK38814 |
Canada |
|
|
X |
|
SRH38850 |
Hong Kong |
|
X |
|
|
SRH38854 |
Singapore |
|
X |
|
210 |
SRH39854 |
South Africa |
|
X |
|
|
SRH39865 |
South Africa |
|
X |
|
|
JRH50085 |
Great Britain |
X |
|
|
|
|
Total |
74 |
53 |
85 |
The meaning of the last columns repeated:
74 = United Kingdom customers
53 = Overseas customers
85 = American (75) and Canadian (10) customers.
How to read the chassisnumbers is explained on page Chassisnumbers.
The Anniversary Silver Shadow II is also mentioned on the page Silver Shadow II
The Anniversary Camargue is also mentioned on the page Camargue
The only Anniversary Camargue.
|
Marinus Rijkers. Disclaimer
