September 18, 2014 – In June 2014, the Royal Mint introduces the Portrait of Britain Collection, celebrating four world-renowned British landmarks on four eye-catching, crown-sized, silver 5 GBP coins. The intricate details of each design have been highlighted with The Royal Mint’s premier Proof finish, whilst trichromatic colour-printing gives the coin designs an impressionist quality. Unlike other mementoes or souvenirs of the nation, the coins in this set are official United Kingdom coins.
Tower Bridge. UK/ 5 GBP/ Silver .925/ 28.28 g/ 38.61 mm/ Design: Glyn Davies & Laura Clancy/ Mintage: 3,500.
The Royal Mint engravers Laura Clancy and Glyn Davies have captured the spirit of four instantly-recognisable British landmarks – Elizabeth Tower, housing Big Ben, Buckingham Palace, Tower Bridge and Trafalgar Square. In their designs, each British icon is viewed as though through the eyes of a visitor, seen through passing crowds or rain showers, giving the coins the feel of an impressionist painting.
Big Ben.
Glyn Davies, The Royal Mint engraver said: “We visited the landmarks in London, and it struck us that it’s never possible to get an uninterrupted view of them without being obscured in some way by the weather, other tourists or even their location. On returning we drew up compositions and added a wash of watercolour.”
Buckingham Palace.
The Royal Mint engraver Laura Clancy continued: “Our coins are not a literal representation but express the transient effects of light and colour on a location. Throughout the process, we have been aiming for an impression of the subject, a moment in time – the modelling to convey the place, the colour and treatment of the metal to convey time and mood.”
Trafalgar Square.
The four-coin set is presented in a stylish Royal Mint presentation case, complemented by a booklet that tells the fascinating story behind each iconic subject. A certificate of authenticity completes the set to confirm it is one of only 3,500 available. All four coins bear the obverse portrait of Her Majesty The Queen by Ian Rank-Broadley FRBS – so fitting for a set that also features Buckingham Palace, her official London residence.
If you have any memories of the landmarks featured in The Royal Mint’s Portrait of Britain Collection, please share them with the Royal Mint on Facebook or Twitter.
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