2020 Royal Mint numismatic program – first pictures
- January 06, 2020
- by
- Pierre
Royal Mint announced several new numismatic issues for 2020. NUMISMAG presents you the first pictures of the new coins.
The design of the Brexit coin isn’t unveiled yet. We will publish it, as soon as the Royal Mint will communicate on this matter.
2 pounds coin dedicated to “Mayflower”
When 102 passengers sailed on the Mayflower from Plymouth, England, on 16 September 1620, their sights were set on a fresh start. They landed in Plymouth Bay over three months later and by spring, just under half of those who had landed in the New World had survived. The original ‘Thanksgiving’ feast was held that autumn, after their first successful harvest, and the spirit of the Mayflower pilgrims endures in this national celebration to this day.
Chris Costello, Royal Mint coin designer
“The process of this design began with historical research and visits to the museums in Plymouth, Massachusetts, then I formulated visions in my mind of what this coin would look like. Many of the features and details of the ship were imaginary… There is a bit of mythical interpretation of the Mayflower story, since nobody really knows what the ship actually looked like. I wanted to create a romantic view with stylized waves that contrasted with the precarious position of the ship in rough seas, thus making an iconic and memorable design; a contemporary coin with subtle traditional beauty that both British and Americans would appreciate and want to own as a keepsake in memory of this historic event.”
Chris Costello, Royal Mint designer
“VE DAY” 2 pounds coin
8 May 1945, now known as VE Day, saw the beginning of the end of the Second World War – the conflict that claimed the lives of millions and reshaped the future of countries and continents. Seventy-five years on, Victory in Europe (VE) Day is recalled by the last of the generation that were there and celebrated by the many generations that followed. In 2020, we remember the first hopeful steps towards lasting peace.
Dominique EVANS – Royal Mint Coin Designer
“My Nan very much inspired the design for this coin – bringing to life her stories of this time when she was a young girl in London, sent to Bournemouth during the war. She can so vividly recount the emotion and colour of VE Day and how the news swept through our family, neighbours, towns and cities. I have placed people at the very heart of this coin, with rays that echo the anti-aircraft searchlights – so familiar in the war-torn skies. Here they become rays of hope on the evening of VE Day, behind the façade of St Paul’s Cathedral.”
Dominique Evans, Royal Mint designer
£2 coin celebrating the 100th Anniversary
of Agatha Christie’s murder mysteries
As the author of 66 detective novels and 150 short stories, it’s no wonder Dame Agatha Christie is known as the Queen of Crime. Born in 1890, in Torquay, Devon, her first novel, The Mysterious Affair at Styles, was published in 1920 and, with her vision and ingenuity, she went on to define the murder mystery genre.
“I pursued several possible threads to this design: each based around various problem-solving metaphors. I started with some ideas based on a board game – the pieces bearing the faces of various characters in a story. I then worked on some designs using the concept of a maze – the solution to the problem lying at its centre. But the final idea was the one which was possibly the simplest to understand and execute and which reflected the universal truth of every story: at the heart of every Agatha Christie Mystery there is a missing component – a missing piece to the puzzle – which, when finally and ingeniously deduced, completes the picture and brings resolution.”
David Lawrence, Royal Mint designer
5 Pounds coin dedicated to king George III
George III came to the throne in 1760, the first Hanoverian monarch to be born in Britain and speak English as a first language. Controversially, he is often known for the mental illness that plagued his latter years and as the king who lost the American colonies, but there was much more to this thoughtful and dedicated monarch. In the 200th year since his death, we celebrate his reign and legacy.
“I have placed George III at the centre of the coin design in a pose reflecting the iconic ‘bull head’ portrait, that I, like many, greatly admire. Surrounding George III’s head are the symbols of his kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, framed by his crown. I felt it important to add symbolism reflecting the life of a king, a man who was dedicated to discovery and progress. From science to agriculture and industry George III left a legacy that has been built on and we benefit from today.”
Dominique Evans, Royal Mint designer
50p coin “UK team for Olympics – TOKYO 2020”
Since the first modern Games in 1896, where British athletes secured seven medals, men and women from Britain have set their sights on gold in the greatest sporting competition in the world. Team GB continue to push boundaries and, for the first time, the team is expected to select more female than male athletes for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.
Gold version
Silver version
“I went to the same school as Welsh sporting greats Gareth Bale, Sam Warburton and Geraint Thomas, and I’m proud to design something for the hundreds of athletes who will represent their country on the world stage. Due to the Tokyo 2020 Olympics having such a youthful presence, I wanted my designs to have a modern look that captured the feel of the bustling Tokyo environment. Part of my aim when designing this coin was to create a design that the viewer can engage with, turning the viewing of the coin into a game itself by working out which icons represents which sports. From the running shoe for athletics to the carabiner and rope for sport climbing, it would be great to think that this coin will spark conversations about Team GB.”
David Knapton, Royal Mint designer
As far as we know, a special 50p commemorative coin will be issue on january 31st, to celebrate the Brexit day.
The design of the Brexit coin isn’t unveiled yet. We will publish it, as soon as the Royal Mint will communicate on this matter.
Sources: Royal Mint and NUMISMAG.