Posts Tagged ‘Coin’
Re-living the Dambusters’ Raid – exactly 70 years ago today
Just 495 Dambusters Anniversary Silver Coin Covers will be flown on board one of two surviving Lancaster bombers as part of tonight’s 70th anniversary memorial
16th May 2013 – the 70th anniversary of the Dambusters’ Raid – the exact moment when, on 16th May 1943, 617 Squadron set off from RAF Scampton in Lincolnshire under Wing Commander Guy Gibson to destroy the dams of Germany’s Ruhr Valley with their ‘bouncing bombs’.
As part of the official Battle of Britain Memorial, 495 specially designed Dambusters’ covers will be flown on board one of just two surviving Lancaster Bombers over Derbyshire’s Derwent Reservoir, part of Derwent Dam – an area used by the pilots for training.
RAF-approved
An Officially Approved Royal Air Force Commemoration, each cover features an original Dambusters’ stamp, postmarked with an exclusive cancellation dated 17th May, and an official 70th Anniversary Dambusters Coin struck in Solid 925/1000 Silver to the highest proof finish, its reverse enhanced with selective 24-Carat Gold-Plating.
Just 495 available
Due to the cover’s uniqueness and the fact that tonight’s flight will never be repeated, no more covers will ever be available once all 495 have been sold. The anniversary flight details on the reverse of each cover confirm it has been part of this historic Dambusters’ re-enactment.
Commemorate the Battle of Britain by securing one of these commemoratives – click here.
Royal Canadian Mint revels in Diamond Jubilee successes
The Diamond Jubilee of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, who has been Canada’s Head of State since her accession in 1952, has proved to be a hugely popular collecting theme for the Royal Canadian Mint.
Within just a month of its release in early May, the latest coin in their exceptionally popular $20 for $20 silver series had completely sold out of its entire 250,000 worldwide edition limit. The other three coins in the series had also previously sold out in record time; they featured traditional aspects of Canadian culture such as the Maple Leaf and the Polar Bear.
The latest in the series of $20 for $20 coins also sold out in record time
Featuring Mary Gillick’s famous ‘young head’ portrait of the Queen on the obverse, the reverse features a new design depicting a contemporary portrait of Her Majesty. The portrait was exclusively commissioned for the 2012 Diamond Jubilee by Canadian artist Laurie McGaw.
Like the earlier coins of the series, this latest coin was struck in 7.96 grams of 99.999% fine silver and was available at its face value of CAN $20 to the North American market. The coin reached its mintage despite a limit of three coins per household.
This sell-out was closely followed by another success story for the Royal Canadian Mint – this time the ground-breaking 2012 Diamond Jubilee ‘High-Relief’ $50 Gold Proof Coin which also sold out literally weeks after its release.
The first ever ‘high relief’ 99.999% Gold Proof Coin also features the first ever left facing effigy of QEII
Issued with a worldwide mintage of just 50 pieces, this stunning double effigy piece was struck in 99.999% pure gold, weighed 33.17 grams and measured 30mm in diameter.
More significantly, it was the first 99.999% pure gold coin ever to be struck in ultra-high relief proof quality – a complex and time-consuming process involving striking the coin no less than four times and individual hand-polishing. In another numismatic first approved by Buckingham Palace, this technique was applied to a left facing effigy of Elizabeth II, again designed by Laurie McGaw.
“Striking the purest gold in the world at such a high relief presented a mix of challenges and advantages due to the softness, malleability, and flow rate of gold. The result is an image of extraordinary height and fluidity,” said a Royal Canadian Mint spokesperson.
Susanna Blunt designed the obverse which was also approved by the Queen.
View The Westminster Collection’s range of Diamond Jubilee coins.