Lots of us have awesome memories of watching air displays, often topped off by a national team of pilots, flying formations with incredible skill. For Brits, as well as many around the world, that aerobatic display may have been undertaken by one of the most regarded teams in the world, the Royal Air Force ‘Red Arrows’. Their signature 9-plane diamond formation adorns their badge. They’ve performed close to 5,000 displays since they debuted.

Formed in 1964, their role was to showcase the RAF’s skills, and demonstrate the excellence of the aircraft they flew. Initially flying the Folland Gnat trainer, in 1979, they moved to the BAE Hawk, which they still fly today, and which remains one of the best military trainer aircraft around, having sold over a thousand examples to 18 operators (the USN’s ‘Goshawk’ is a variant of it). While BAE discontinued production in 2020, it’s still manufactured today in India.

The coin gets straight to the point, depicting three Hawks in formation, with their red, white and blue smoke trails. Just ‘RED ARROWS’ and the TD mark (for Tuch Design), are also on the reverse face. Only the silver proof variants, in 8g and piedfort 16g forms, have colouration, while the 22kt gold coin is cleanly struck. In addition, a 0.9999 gold coin with a standard round shape, is offered in quarter-ounce, and two-ounce weights.

All variants are boxed with a certificate of authenticity, and for collectors of base metal coins, there are clean and coloured 50 pence coins to pick up. In addition, there’s a selection of special sets, some with a 1965 florin included, some with stamp sets, and even one with a set of 1965 dated circulating currency. You can see more about them HERE. A good design for a brilliant, talented group of pilots and support staff.

PRESS RELEASE: The Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team, who are more commonly known as the Red Arrows, represent the very best of the Royal Air Force (RAF). Each member of the team goes through a series of rigorous tests before they are selected and together, they represent the excellence and capabilities of the service. Renowned for their captivating aerial displays and precision flying, the Red Arrows have flown nearly 5,000 displays in 57 countries since their inception in 1964 and first public performance a year later. People from a wide variety of RAF roles and professions are key to the success of the Red Arrows and their performances would not be possible without ‘The Blues’, their hardworking engineers and support team on the ground. As the public facing side of the RAF, the Red Arrows also serve as a recruitment tool for the Armed Forces, with many pilots and support staff choosing a career in aviation after seeing the spectacular displays as a child.

To celebrate the legacy and story of the Red Arrows, The Royal Mint has produced a UK coin in their honour. Designed by Nigel Tudman at Tuch Design, the reverse of this coin features three of the Red Arrows’ distinctive BAE Systems Hawk T1 aircraft accompanied by the trails used in the team’s aerial displays. The coin is available in a range of gold Proof, silver Proof and Brilliant Uncirculated editions, three of which feature colour printing.

Squadron Leader Jon Bond, Team Leader of the Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team and Red 1, said: “Across 60 seasons, the Red Arrows have aimed to inspire people of all ages and backgrounds with a world-class display of precision and teamwork. These new 50p coins, with our distinctive Hawk jets depicted brilliantly in close formation, are a wonderful celebration of the excitement, enjoyment and pride felt by millions of individuals, including the next generation of aviators, at airshows and events every year.”