Posts Tagged ‘Poppy Coin’
Discover the world’s 10 most oddly shaped coins…
One of the most fascinating things about coin collecting is of course the design on the coin – but what about the shape of the coin itself? As minting technology continues to advance, coins are being struck in all kinds of exciting and innovative shapes.
I’ve compiled a selection of coins which I consider to be 10 of the most collectable unusually shaped coins around…
1. The FIRST rugby coin of its kind…
To mark the Rugby World Cup last year, France issued the first ever coin shaped like a rugby ball.
The concave coins proved to be extremely popular with collectors worldwide, with many keen to add a coin with such a unique pedigree to their collections.
2. A coin shaped like a country…
The Perth Mint regularly issue map-shaped coins, taking advantage of their country’s unique and recognisable outline.
This series makes use of purpose-built tooling and die design to give the coin its distinctive shape.
The first coin in the series featured the Kookaburra, issued in 2012, since then there have been a variety of different animals to feature on the coin, with the most recent being the Redback Spider.
3. The ‘Imperial Egg’…
This impressive looking coin boasts beautiful enamelled colour and a shimmering gemstone inlay.
The ‘Imperial Egg’ Coin is based on the work of Fabergé and proved to be very popular with collectors last year, especially during the Easter period.
4. You’ll be lucky to find one of these…
You certainly won’t find this Four-Leaf Clover Coin in a field, no matter how hard you look! Legend has it that Eve took a four-leaf-clover from paradise as a memento for the wonderful time she had spent there – they’ve been considered lucky ever since.
Struck in gold to a proof finish, this cleverly produced coin could certainly be regarded as lucky by collectors who have one in their collection – as it is now highly sought-after.
5. The Earth-shattering coin… 
The extra-terrestrial chondrite that has been set into the centre of this coin was sourced from a meteorite that crash-landed in Morocco in 2005. The space rock shattered into several pieces when it entered the Earth’s atmosphere.
The coin itself has been struck in a concave shape to represent the crater in which the piece of meteorite landed.
6. Is it a coin or is it a bar? It’s both…
This rectangular silver coin-bar features one of the world’s most iconic landmarks – London’s Tower Bridge.
It’s not often that you see coins minted in this shape – the ‘bar’ format is usually reserved for bullion.
This stunning coin boasts intricately detailed engraving and tiny detail can be seen on the Tower Bridge to create windows, clock and brickwork.
7. The poppy-shaped remembrance coin…
This coin’s unique shape and rich red printing on the reverse takes inspiration from the poppy, which has become synonymous throughout the world as a symbol of remembrance and the charitable work of The Royal British Legion.
Issued to commemorate the end of the First World War and to Remember the Fallen, the Poppy Coin is a significant issue that is poignant to many.
8. The coin that sold out in two days…
This remarkable coin is shaped like the iconic Canadian maple leaf, and proved so popular that it sold out at the Royal Canadian Mint in just 2 days.
Canadian Maple Leaf coins are some of the world’s most recognised Silver coins. This issue takes the design to a whole new level, complete with a special wooden display case. A stunning display that would certainly stand out on any mantlepiece!
9. The coin that combines heaven and earth…
Issued in China since 221 BCE, the Chinese Lucky Cash Coin features a square hole at its centre to represent Earth, while the circle symbolises heaven. This combination of heaven and earth make the coin a symbol of harmony and prosperity.
Chinese fortune-tellers would use cash coins, a tortoise shell, and their skill at numerology to tell the future. Because of their association with mystical prediction, these coins from China are thought to bring good luck.
10. And last but not least…
The playful Russian ‘Matryoshka Dolls’ first appeared in the late 19th century, now they’ve been immortalised on a silver coin.
This oval issue is displayed within special bespoke packaging which consists of two traditional wooden nesting dolls placed one inside the other – the coin and packaging are both something that I’ve never come across before!
Are you lucky enough to have any in your collection or have you perhaps seen any that you think should be on the list? Let me know in the comments below.
Want to own an unusual coin?
We still have a small allocation remaining of The Lucky Four Leaf Clover Gold Coin.
New Poppy Coin revealed today in time for Remembrance Day 2015
A brand new Remembrance Day Poppy Coin has just been released in support of the Royal British Legion.
The 2015 Remembrance Day £5 Poppy Coin
Issued especially to commemorate Remembrance Day, the Official 2015 Poppy Coin is the latest commemorative to be struck in support of the Legion and features a distinctive new ‘wreath’ poppy design.
I spoke to the designer, Chris Lloyd, to find out his inspiration behind the new design…
Chris Lloyd – Designer
“I was inspired by the poignant poppy wreaths that are laid on War memorials during remembrance services all over the country and the world.
“I was keen to form the wreath shape around the edge of the coin using intricately detailed engraved RBL poppies, with individual poppies picked out in the traditional red colour as worn by the public every November.
“I hope that this coin will serve as a timeless reminder of the sacrifices made in conflict both past and present.”
Designing the 2015 poppy wreath coin
A One-of-a-Kind Design
This exclusive new design is only to be found on the official range of coins issued in support of The Royal British Legion. The nuanced, textured piece of numismatic art is truly as unique as it is beautiful.
The only text on the reverse of the coin – ‘Lest we forget’ – taken from Laurence Binyon’s For the Fallen – serves as a starkly poignant reminder of the sacrifice made by so many.
A Range of Coins Available – Each with a Donation
The limited edition coins are available to own in a range of different metals to suit all collections. From a Proof condition £5 coin right up to an impressive 22 Carat Gold edition – there is even a generous 5oz Silver version, truly a sight to behold.
To further support the work of the Royal British Legion, The Westminster Collection have organised for a donation from the sale of each coin to go directly to the charity, helping them to continue to provide financial, social and emotional support to all who have served and are currently serving in the British Armed Forces and their families.
If you’re interested… 
You can add the 2015 Remembrance Day £5 Proof Coin to your collection today – click here for details.
A donation from the sale of each coin will go directly to The Royal British Legion.
How the Poppy Coin has raised over £450,000 for The Royal British Legion
Charles Byrne, Director of Fundraising at The Royal British Legion
As the distributor of the annual Poppy Coin we are proud to continue supporting The Royal British Legion each year.
The coins, which have often included colour or gold-plated elements, are some of the most innovative pieces struck for collectors over the last 6 years.
Yet owning a Poppy Coin means much more than simply collecting the latest interesting or historic commemorative coin.
Each coin owned by you has resulted in a donation to the work of The Royal British Legion providing financial, social and emotional support to all who have served and are currently serving in the British Armed Forces and their families.
The 2014 “100 Poppies” Coin broke all previous donation records
Last year we were delighted to raise a record amount of over £130,000 with the special First World War Centenary “100 Poppies” coin. And with over £450,000 raised for the RBL to date, we hope to break the £500,000 mark this year for total donations.
Louise Ajdukiewicz, Head of Corporate Partnerships at The Royal British Legion, says “These funds make a real difference to the charity and help us to continue our vital services supporting the whole Armed Forces community.”
But does owning a Poppy Coin provide an alternative to wearing a Poppy or donating directly to The Royal British Legion? Of course not.
I’ll be making my annual donation to The Royal British Legion and wearing my Poppy with pride this year. But I have also bought a silver Poppy Coin for each of my children in the knowledge that they will have a valuable reminder of the sacrifices of the First World War.
Own the new Remembrance Day £5 Poppy Coin for just £5 today
The new 2015 Remembrance Day £5 Poppy Coin
New Poppy coins are made available during the Remembrance period from October each year and this year’s design will be a ‘numismatic ‘first’. The 2015 coin features a poppy wreath encircling the famous quote, ‘Lest we forget’ – the first time that a wreath design has been used on a poppy coin.
Click here to secure your coin for just £5 (postfree) – with a donation going directly to the Legion’s work.
Some examples of how The Royal British Legion supports the Armed Services community:
Care Homes – The Legion has six care homes to provide short and long term care for serving and ex-Service people and their dependants. Situated around the country, they offer a wide range of services including four with specialist dementia care. Care home communities include men and women of varied ages and abilities, and because these homes are exclusive to ex-Service people and their dependants, there is a unique camaraderie.
Break Centres – they offer much-needed breaks to ex-Service and serving personnel and their families, who may be recovering from an illness, bereavement or other life-affecting event. The Legion have four Break Centres located in prime locations around the country.
Handy Van Service – they provide essential and critical support to ex-service people who are unable to carry out household repairs or small jobs, helping them to remain independent in their own homes. The team of trusted handy people are also fully trained caseworkers enabling them to look out for other issues and people at risk in order to flag to the wider welfare team.
Benefits and Money Advice – they offer a confidential, face-to-face Benefits and Money Advice Service to help people manage their finances, including assisting them with making claims for state benefits and also dealing with money problems including debt.
Civvy Street – This service provides a range of information and advice on resettlement, learning and work. Civvy Street is designed to assist in-Service families, armed forces leavers and the veterans’ community adjust to civilian life and kick-start a new career.