UK circulating commemorative coins for 2020

[Alan71]

Oh, Non Circulating Legal Tender.  I assumed that was obvious, hence me wondering if it stood for something else!  Coloured coins never circulate (and I hope they never do). 

Cue for the Royal Mint to issue a coloured Mickey Mouse coin for circulation, so people could finally call the coinage Mickey Mouse money. 

[Figleaf]

Nothing is ever simple. You are right to assume that a colouring coins is a gimmick. However, as always in the area of coins, there are exceptions.

The Canadian mint, a renowned hoopla factory, made coloured cents for circulation a while back, with the maple leaf in bright red. I presume the technology has improved since, but at the time, the colour wore off faster than lipstick at a dance party. What made the issue unforgettable is that a group of US defence contractors on mission in Canada took some coloured cents received in change for red Russian spy transmitters and donated them free of charge to the CIA. I am not making this up.

Peter

[Alan71]

Ah yes, I did encounter a couple of coloured Canadian coins in change when I was there last year.  I meant in the UK in my previous post.  I suppose I should correct myself, and never say never, but I hope it's unlikely.

[eurocoin]

VE Day 2 pound coin in BU quality for face value available from the Westminster Collection here. Postage is free, so you only pay 2 pounds.

Currently sold out but they are taking pre-orders so be sure to order if you want one. Remember that the coin may enter circulation later in the year. This offer is only for residents of the UK and only for a limited time.

Update: No longer available.

[Deeman]

With the conclusion of the 3-coin series for Cook's first voyage, I would assume that the RM will issue another 3-coin series for the second voyage.

Cook's second voyage, 1772-1775, was spurred on by his desire to find the temperate 'Southern Continent' after he had failed to do so on his first voyage. He crossed the Antarctic Circle for the first time on 17 Jan 1773, his ship, Resolution, becoming the first vessel to do so. On arriving home, Cook informed the Admiralty that there was no Terra Australis. Soon enough there would be no American Colonies either!

As for the first voyage I would suggest the following subtitles:
2018 Endeavour sets sail.
2019 Transit of Venus.
2020 Charting the Southern Seas.

Subtitles for a potential second series could be:
2022 Expedition sets sail.
2023 Search for the Southern Continent.
2024 Charting the Southern Seas.

[eurocoin]

The Royal Mint has urged all dealers and wholesalers to return their stocks of the BU version of the 2020-dated 2 pound coin of James Cook. The reason for this is unknown. The coin will not yet be available.

I have contacted The Royal Mint for more information on this.

[eurocoin]

Royal Mint spokeswoman Kaz Davies confirmed the above information. She informed me that a problem was spotted related to the packaging after the first orders had already been sent out to coin dealers and wholesalers. She also mentioned that the Royal Mint is working hard on getting the issue resolved, which they expect to take a few days.

An email that the Royal Mint sent to dealers and distributors mentions that the coins were inserted in the wrong hole in the packaging. Although the packs contain only 1 coin, they have 3 holes. Not a very interesting error unfortunately.

[eurocoin]

The Hylaeosaurus 50p will be available in BU, proof etc. tomorrow.

Coin on the left:

[Deeman]

Endeavour picture-puzzle

[eurocoin]

The Rosalind Franklin 50p coin will be released on Monday. The coin looks terrible.

[Deeman]

'Photograph 51' was the 51st diffraction photograph taken in May 1952 showing the structural outline of DNA for the first time - an X-ray diffraction image of the B-form DNA.
Rosalind Franklin showed an early interest in science and trained as a chemist, becoming an expert on coal and other carbon-based materials. She earned a doctorate from the University of Cambridge in 1945. She then worked in Paris, developing skills at using X-ray crystallography to study crystalline structures, before moving to King's College London, where Maurice Wilkins had been studying the molecular structure of DNA. Franklin took up DNA studies and produced exceptional X-ray images. She came close to determining DNA's double-helix structure, but didn't get it quite right.
Meanwhile James Watson, who had been following her research, was shown one of her X-ray images by Wilkins in early 1953, enabling Watson and Francis Crick to deduce the correct DNA architecture. Franklin saw that the Watson-Crick model was consistent with her work, but didn't immediately accept that the model would ultimately turn out to be right in detail. She died in 1958, and so was not eligible for the Nobel Prize (recipient must be living), awarded 4yrs later to Watson & Crick.

[Deeman]

Photograph 51 took 60 hours to develop. The fading edge to the images indicates the repetitive pattern of DNA.

[redlock]

Photograph 51 took 60 hours to develop. The fading edge to the images indicates the repetitive pattern of DNA.

To be honest, I have no idea how they figured out from this picture that the DNA has a double helix structure. 

[eurocoin]

The design of the coin. It was made by David Knapton who also designed all of the Paddington Bear 50p coins.

[Deeman]

The design is dotty in more ways than one. It leaves a lot to be desired.