UK Commemorative coins for 2020

[Deeman]

The Royal Mint will in 2020 issue commemorative 2 pounds coins with the following themes:

- 100th anniversary of the first publication of a book by Agatha Christie.

- 75th anniversary of VE-Day.

Centenary of the publication of Agatha Christie’s first book
Design depicts a nearly completed jigsaw puzzle with the final piece about to be inserted,
accompanied by the inscription ‘1920 100 YEARS OF MYSTERY 2020’ and Agatha Christie’s signature.
The edge inscription ‘little grey cells’ is credited by Poirot as the reason he was able to solve complex and mysterious cases.

75th Anniversary of VE Day
Design depicts a woman holding a newspaper aloft in a celebrating crowd set against the backdrop of the word VICTORY, accompanied by the inscription ‘VICTORY IN EUROPE DAY’ and the dates ‘1945-2020’.
The edge inscription 'just triumph and proud sorrow' is contained in a message from the King to his peoples broadcast on 8 May 1945:
“There is great comfort in the thought that the years of darkness and danger in which the children of our country have grown up are over and, please God, for ever. We shall have failed, and the blood of our dearest will have flowed in vain if the victory which they died to win does not lead to a lasting peace, founded on justice and established in good will. To that, then, let us turn our thoughts on this day of just triumph and proud sorrow and then take up our work again, resolved as people to do nothing unworthy of those who have died for us and to make the world such a world as they would have desired, for their children and for ours.”

[Deeman]

Assume the year set for 2020 will include the following £2 & 50p commemoratives:

400th Anniversary of the Mayflower’s voyage
Centenary of the publication of Agatha Christie’s first book
75th Anniversary of VE Day
Olympics Team GB

As with this year, additional BU issues of the £2 coins will probably be progressively introduced during the first six months.

Suspect that the 50p Olympics will be issued for circulation.

[Deeman]

Wonder if RM will issue a commemorative coin in 2020 for the 150th anniversary of Barnardo's first home. This would also be coincident with the 175th anniversary of his birth.

Believe they considered one in 2017 for the 150th anniversary of the opening of his first Ragged School in the East End of London in 1867.

[Deeman]

A worthwhile commemorative for 2020 would be to recognise the 150th anniversary of The British Red Cross. The Queen is the patron of the society.

[eurocoin]

Wonder if RM will issue a commemorative coin in 2020 for the 150th anniversary of Barnardo's first home. This would also be coincident with the 175th anniversary of his birth.

Believe they considered one in 2017 for the 150th anniversary of the opening of his first Ragged School in the East End of London in 1867.

It was considered for a commemorative in 2017 and then subsequently postponed to 2020. See here.

A worthwhile commemorative for 2020 would be to recognise the 150th anniversary of The British Red Cross. The Queen is the patron of the society.

That would indeed be a good theme for a coin.

[eurocoin]

We already know what the James Cook 2 pounds coin of 2020 will look like. The Royal Mint mistakenly leaked the design in August 2018, something that was noticed by our member kena.

[Deeman]

We already know what the James Cook 2 pounds coin of 2020 will look like. The Royal Mint mistakenly leaked the design in August 2018, something that was noticed by our member kena.

Described as the bow of the Endeavour and a canoe over a map showing Captain Cook’s voyage round NZ and the south coast of Australia, circumscribed by CAPTAIN JAMES COOK and the anniversary dates 1770–2020.

[eurocoin]

The Royal Mint will in 2020 issue a dinosaur 50p series. The first 3 coins in the series will depict the iguanodon, megalosaurus and hylaeosaurus.

A 5 pounds coin will be issued for the band Queen.

James Bond will be commemorated on several high-denomination coins in precious metals.

[Big_M]

The Royal Mint will in 2020 issue a dinosaur 50p series. The first 3 coins in the series will depict the iguanodon, megalosaurus and hylaeosaurus.

A 5 pounds coin will be issued for the band Queen.

James Bond will be commemorated on several high-denomination coins in precious metals.

You are sure these all will be issued as UK? The topics would fit better with previous Alderney releases.

[eurocoin]

You are sure these all will be issued as UK? The topics would fit better with previous Alderney releases.

They will all be UK coins. The Royal Mint does no longer produce coins for Alderney. The Commonwealth Mint now has the contract and it makes the government of Alderney much more money than the Royal Mint ever did.

I agree that standards in terms of themes have dropped.

[Deeman]

The iguanodon, megalosaurus and hylaeosaurus have English origins.
Sculptures of these dinosaurs and others are in Crystal Palace Park.
I think RM are now scraping the bottom of the barrel using such topics, but it will certainly appeal to children to whom the issue is obviously aimed. More expense for their parents!

[Deeman]

Interesting trivia about Megalosaurus.

While describing a gloomy day cloaked in fog, in his 1853 novel Bleak House, Dickens writes:
“As much mud in the streets as if the waters had but newly retired from the face of the earth, and it would not be wonderful to meet a Megalosaurus, forty feet long or so, waddling like an elephantine lizard up Holborn Hill."
The first literary dinosaur reference in a work of modern fiction and a completely inaccurate description as Dickens subscribed at the time to the giant quadrupedal lizard theory of Megalosaurus promulgated by Richard Owen and others.

[eurocoin]

4 coins with a ddnomination of 5 pounds will be issued to commemorate the Tower of London. Each of the coins will feature things related to one of the functions the building had in the past e.g. as prison, mint building etc.

[Deeman]

4 coins with a ddnomination of 5 pounds will be issued to commemorate the Tower of London. Each of the coins will feature things related to one of the functions the building had in the past e.g. as prison, mint building etc.

I am at a loss as to why RM continue to produce a profusion of these useless £5 coins.

[Figleaf]

Look at their annual report. They are dependent on sales to collectors, so they'll put the Christmas poop emoji on a "coin" (if they haven't already) if they think there is enough demand to offset fixed cost.

Peter