Posts Tagged ‘commemorative coins’
D-Day commemorated by four world-renowned Mints
On 6th June 1944, the D-Day Landings turned the tide of the Second World War. Allied troops landed at five different beaches, famously codenamed: Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno, and Sword.
At these beaches, the largest amphibious assault in history was launched and this attack paved the way for the liberation of German-occupied France and is largely considered the start of the victory on the Western Front.
Most UK collectors will be familiar with the United Kingdom 75th Anniversary of D-Day £2 coin issued in 2019 to commemorate the historic event. However, Allied Nations across the globe have been commemorating this important anniversary with unique coin issues from their very own Mints.
Today, we will be looking at the extraordinary coins issued by Australia, Canada and Belgium, in addition to the UK £2, that have been brought together in a strictly limited presentation pack.
United Kingdom £2
Over sixty-one thousand British Troops were deployed as part of the D-Day Operations, landing on the 6th June at Gold and Sword. What’s more, by 1944 over 2 million troops from over 12 countries were in Britain in preparation for the invasion.
To commemorate Britain’s great effort in opening up this second front against the German army, The Royal Mint issued a United Kingdom £2 coin for 2019.
This coin was produced in collaboration with Imperial War Museums and was designed by Stephen Taylor. Speaking about his work on the design, Taylor emphasises that he wanted to ‘build up the scale of the operation’ and that the ‘fonts are inspired by markings on US, Canadian and British landing craft, capturing the spirit of the international cooperation.’
Canada $2
Operating within the British command structure, Canadian troops provided the third largest force for Allied operations in Western Europe. Landing at Juno, between British troops at Gold and Sword, over 21,000 Canadian troops were involved in the D-Day Landings.
The Canadians played a crucial role in the action that effectively ended the Normandy campaign a few months later, cutting off German forces at the Falaise gap.
To commemorate such a huge achievement, The Royal Canadian Mint issued a $2 coin, following their proud tradition of honouring Canada’s rich military history with commemorative $2 coins.
The design, by Alan Daniel, features unique touches of selective colour to honour this most special anniversary.
Australia $1
On D-Day, over 2,000 Australian airmen took part in the battle of the skies above the invasion beaches, in addition to 500 Australian sailors serving in the escort fleets.
Notably, Australian officers held places in various British units throughout the campaign, gaining experience of British practises which they could then take home after the war.
Designed by Bronwyn King, the intricate design on this Australian $1 shows a flight of planes all heading in a single direction, with an Australian Kangaroo featured at the bottom.
Belgium 5 Euro
Although there are few recorded Belgium troops on 6th June D-Day Landings, Belgium soldiers played a key part in the Battle of Normandy, which followed the initial D-Day Landings operation.
What many people also don’t know is that the exiled Belgium government in the UK raised its own units in Britain, and Belgium pilots flew in the RAF.
Designed by Luc Luycx, this remarkable 5 euro features a map of Normandy with arrows pointing across to the beaches where troops landed on D-Day. The reverse of the coin shows a map of Europe with ‘Belgium’ in the country’s three languages: French, Dutch and German.
A total of 156,000 Allied Troops took part in the D-Day Landings from across 12 countries – it truly was an international effort!
75th Anniversary of D-Day Allied Nations Coin Pack
To commemorate this most important anniversary year, Change Checker have brought together these four remarkable coins from four world-renowned Mints to create the Change Checker 75th Anniversary of D-Day Allied Nations Coin Pack.
11 of the world’s most oddly shaped coins…
One of the most fascinating things about coin collecting is of course the design on the coin – but what about the shape of the coin itself? As minting technology continues to advance, coins are being struck in all kinds of exciting and innovative shapes.
So I’ve put together selection of 11 unusually shaped collectable coins from around the world…
1. The WWI Brodie Helmet coin …
To commemorate the Armistice Centenary, The Royal Canadian Mint issued a remarkable new coin to honour each and every fallen soldier.
Struck in the shape of a WWI Brodie Helmet, it is more deeply curved surface than any other concave or convex-shaped coin I’ve seen before. The design is so unique in fact, that the Mint have kept the minting technique a closely guarded secret.
2. The FIRST rugby coin of its kind…
To mark the Rugby World Cup in 2015, France issued the first ever coin shaped like a rugby ball.
The concave coins proved to be extremely popular with collectors worldwide, with many keen to add a coin with such a unique pedigree to their collections.
3. A coin shaped like a country…
The Perth Mint regularly issue map-shaped coins, taking advantage of their country’s unique and recognisable outline.
This series makes use of purpose-built tooling and die design to give the coin its distinctive shape.
The first coin in the series featured the Kookaburra and was issued in 2012. Since then there have been a variety of different animals to feature on the coin, with the most recent being the Dingo.
4. The ‘Imperial Egg’…
This impressive looking coin boasts beautiful enamelled colour and a shimmering gemstone inlay.
The ‘Imperial Egg’ Coin is based on the work of Fabergé and proved to be very popular with collectors, especially during the Easter period.
5. You’ll be lucky to find one of these…
You certainly won’t find this Four-Leaf Clover Coin in a field, no matter how hard you look! Legend has it that Eve took a four-leaf-clover from paradise as a memento for the wonderful time she had spent there – they’ve been considered lucky ever since.
Struck in gold to a proof finish, this cleverly produced coin could certainly be regarded as lucky by collectors who have one in their collection – as it is now highly sought-after.
6. The Earth-shattering coin…
The extra-terrestrial chondrite that has been set into the centre of this coin was sourced from a meteorite that crash-landed in Morocco in 2005. The space rock shattered into several pieces when it entered the Earth’s atmosphere.
The coin itself has been struck in a concave shape to represent the crater in which the piece of meteorite landed.
7. Is it a coin or is it a bar? It’s both…
This rectangular silver coin-bar features one of the world’s most iconic landmarks – London’s Tower Bridge.
It’s not often that you see coins minted in this shape as the ‘bar’ format is usually reserved for bullion.
This stunning coin boasts an intricately detailed engraving and tiny details can be seen on the Tower Bridge to create windows, clock and brickwork.
8. The poppy-shaped remembrance coin…
This coin’s unique shape and rich red printing on the reverse takes inspiration from the poppy, which has become synonymous throughout the world as a symbol of remembrance and the charitable work of The Royal British Legion.
Issued to commemorate the end of the First World War and to Remember the Fallen, the Poppy Coin is a significant issue that is poignant to many.
9. The coin that sold out in two days…
This remarkable coin is shaped like the iconic Canadian maple leaf, and proved so popular that it sold out at the Royal Canadian Mint in just 2 days.
Canadian Maple Leaf coins are some of the world’s most recognised Silver coins. This issue takes the design to a whole new level and comes complete with a special wooden display case.
10. The coin that combines heaven and earth…
Issued in China since 221 BCE, the Chinese Lucky Cash Coin features a square hole at its centre to represent Earth, while the circle symbolises heaven. This combination of heaven and earth make the coin a symbol of harmony and prosperity.
Chinese fortune-tellers would use cash coins, a tortoise shell, and their skill at numerology to tell the future. Because of their association with mystical prediction, these coins from China are thought to bring good luck.
11. And last but not least…
The playful Russian ‘Matryoshka Dolls’ first appeared in the late 19th century, now they’ve been immortalised on a silver coin.
This oval issue is displayed within special bespoke packagingwhich consists of two traditional wooden nesting dolls placed one inside the other – the coin and packaging are both something that I’ve never come across before!
Are you lucky enough to have any of these coins in your collection, or perhaps you’ve seen another coin that you think should be on the list? Let me know in the comments below
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– Find and identify the coins in their pocket
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First look: New Royal Mint coin designs for 2019!
Every year The Royal Mint mark the year’s memorable events and anniversaries that capture the nation by striking these stories onto circulating coins, and 2019 is no different.
Today, The Royal Mint have unveiled the new themes and designs for all the 2019 commemorative coins, and Change Checkers can look forward to some fascinating British anniversaries being commemorated.
50p: The 160th anniversary of the birth of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
As the father of modern crime writing, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s legacy lives on 160 years since his birth, thanks to his iconic creation – Britain’s greatest detective, Sherlock Holmes™.
The classic tales of Sherlock Holmes and his sidekick Dr. Watson are treasured reads which have led Doyle to become one of the most famous writers in the world.
Reverse designer: Stephen Raw
This coin is now available to purchase individually in Brilliant Uncirculated quality here.
£2: The 260th anniversary of the formation of Wedgwood
The industrial revolution of the 18th century shaped Britain’s future and brought about great social changes and technological advancements. Josiah Wedgwood created his pottery empire using modern mass production methods, which we still use today.
Reverse designer: Wedgwood Design Team
This coin is now available to purchase individually in Brilliant Uncirculated quality here.
£2: The 75th anniversary of the D-Day Landings
On the 6th of June 1944, the D-Day landings turned the tide of the Second World War. Allied troops landed at five different beaches codenamed Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno and Sword for the largest amphibious assault ever launched. This gave them a position from which they could advance into Germany and paved the way for victory on the Western Front and the liberation of Europe.
Reverse designer: Stephen Taylor
This coin is now available to purchase individually in Brilliant Uncirculated quality here.
£2: The 350th anniversary of Samuel Pepy’s last diary entry
Samuel Pepy’s diary entries provide detailed and personal observations from some of Britain’s most significant moments in history, such as the Restoration, the Plague and the Great Fire of London. His diary has been essential for understanding these events and their impact on people at the time and give invaluable first-hand insights.
Reverse designer: Gary Breeze
This coin is now available to purchase individually in Brilliant Uncirculated quality here.
£5: The 200th anniversary of the birth of Queen Victoria
At her birth in 1819, no one knew that Queen Victoria’s reign would span the rest of the century and make her one Britain’s most famous rulers. She came to the throne aged just 18 years old, at a time when Britain’s Empire was growing and becoming the world’s pre-eminent superpower in an era of unrivalled peace and prosperity.
Reverse designer: John Bergdahl
This coin is now available to purchase individually in Brilliant Uncirculated quality here.
The announcement of the year’s coins is always an exciting moment for Change Checkers, particularly when the anniversaries are as significant as these.
And now we can now start looking forward to finding these new designs in our change throughout the year!
Own the 2019 Commemorative Coin Set
If you can’t wait to find these coins in your change, be one of the first to own the complete set!