UK 2014 20 for 20 coin

[kena]

The 2014 UK 20 for 20 is out.

Those who have registered their interest can order today.

Ken

[<k>]

Suitably old-fashioned design. Do you know who designed it?

[kena]

John Bergdahl for the reverse.

[<k>]

Thanks, kena. He designed the Mary Rose two pound coin, and he's done a lot of the really high denomination silver and gold coins for the UK in recent years.

[Candy]

While a twenty pound coin is a good idea on paper, the World War One theme is beginning to eat me up. That was such a needless  war that resulted in the trashing of most of Europe and the unnecessary waste of many lives , the more WW1 theme coins I see the more I am disliking them     

[Bimat]

Royal Mint issues £20 coin to commemorate first world war

A £20 silver coin commemorating the 100th anniversary of the first world war has been struck by the Royal Mint.

The coin, which is only the second £20 coin produced by the mint, carries an image of Britannia watching as the first British troops set sail across the Channel. It was designed by the sculptor John Bergdahl.

A batch of 250,000 of the coins has been created. Each is available for £20 and is legal tender, however the mint said it was "too prestigious to spend".

The first UK £20 coin was released last year to celebrate the birth of Prince George. That coin, which featured a St George and the Dragon design, was also limited to a run of 250,000 and has sold out.

Bergdahl said: "I decided to use the figure of Britannia in order to represent all of the allies who took part, most of whom were British or drawn from the British Empire.

"I combined inspiration from two sources: the South African medal for war services and the first world war memorial plaque awarded to those who died, using an art deco style which I felt best reflected the period."

Shane Bissett, the Royal Mint's director of commemorative coin and bullion and medals, said: "The centenary of the outbreak of the first world war is an occasion of such significance, it was important to us that this coin should takes its place in the Royal Mint's programme of commemoration, remembering the bravery and sacrifice of those who answered the call to fight for king and country."

Source: The Guardian

[Figleaf]

Bergdahl said: "I decided to use the figure of Britannia in order to represent all of the allies who took part, most of whom were British or drawn from the British Empire.

This reminds me of what my children learned about the first world war in a French school: the first world war was France against Germany and was about the Alsace. France won, so they got to keep the Alsace. What Americans?

Peter

[UK Decimal +]

Odd to commemorate the start of a war!   Isn't it far less tasteless to remember the end of it?

(As an aside, probably my first memory is of one of my aunts whispering to Mum "It's V.J. day").

Bill.

[chrisild]

Odd to commemorate the start of a war!

Yes, but various mints decided to nevertheless do this. Oh well, if they can make extra money this way ...

Side note: A couple of days ago I visited the Anneau de la Mémoire in Northern France. (Yes, we were there only a week or so after President Hollande officially opened the site. )  I cannot imagine such a memorial being built anywhere in the "Anglo-Saxon world".

Christian

[UK Decimal +]

Fortunately they taught my French at school.   

I rather prefer Stonehenge http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stonehenge

Bill.

[chrisild]

Very interesting too, yes.   As for that French "Ring", seems there is a French and a German version of the Wikipedia article, but no other languages. What I found so impressive is the fact that the panels list the names of the people who died in that area in WW1, in alphabetical order. Not grouped by military rank or country, just name after name after name ...

Christian