The Royal Mint celebrates the 40th birthday of the Duke of Cambridge with a new coin range in gold and silver

Born on 21 June 1982, just a week after British forces had successfully concluded the Falklands War, and thus at the height of a patriotic fervour in the UK, William Arthur Philip Louis was the first child of Prince Charles and Princess Diana. He immediately became, and remains, the second in line to the British throne. He was educated to university standard, earning a Masters in geography, and then went on to the world-renowned Royal Military Academy Sandhurst.

William served with the Blues and Royals, and in 2008, graduated from Royal Air Force College Cranwell, from where he joined RAF Search and Rescue. In 2015, he joined East Anglian Air Ambulance as a helicopter pilot. In 2011, he married Catherine Middleton, and the couple have three children. He is patron of over 30 charities and military organisations, and founded the United for Wildlife initiative in 2014, to combat illegal wildlife trade. He remains a popular and relatively uncontroversial figure.

The new coin is the latest in a seemingly endless run of royal coins from the Royal Mint (clue’s in the name, I guess!), but we have to say, this one exhibits a decent likeness of the man. There’ve been some poor likenesses of William and Catherine on coins over the last couple of decades, but Thomas Docherty has done an excellent job, in our view. It looks to be based on an official photograph, but the transition to coin form has been handled well.

At its core, this is a £5 range, and there are 1 oz 22 kt gold, sterling silver (1 oz and 2 oz piedfort), and even a base-metal coin all with the same diameter and denomination. In addition, there are a trio of 0.9999 gold versions, of 1/4 oz, 2 oz, and 5 oz weights, all with varying diameters and denominations.

The three precious metal £5 variants have ‘HRH THE DUKE OF CAMBRIDGE’ engraved on the edge. There is also a limited two-coin set, which consists of the smallest gold coin, alongside a 1982 uncirculated gold Sovereign. This £1,300 set is limited to 100 units, and like the rest of the range, is available to order from later today. We bet there won’t be a Prince Harry coin, because Meghan would insist on replacing the Queen’s effigy with hers…

PRESS RELEASE

The Royal Mint is celebrating The Duke of Cambridge’s 40th birthday with a commemorative £5 coin, featuring a portrait of His Royal Highness. The £5 coin has been unveiled ahead of The Duke’s milestone celebration next month, with a regal design which pays homage to the senior member of the Royal family, and second in line to the throne.

Designed by Thomas T. Docherty, designer and engraver at The Royal Mint, the coin features Prince William’s portrait, depicted at a three-quarter angle to present a dynamic quality, and set amid his Royal Cypher and the number ‘40’ to reflect the stature and maturity of the future King

Clare Maclennan, Director of Commemorative Coin at The Royal Mint, said: “As the trusted maker of coins for the monarchs, we are celebrating His Royal Highness The Duke of Cambridge’s landmark 40th Birthday with a commemorative coin fit for a future King. The elegant design features a portrait of HRH alongside his Royal Cypher and the number ‘40’, which pays homage to the maturity and grace of the Prince who has become a senior member of the Royal Family, a devoted husband and a loving father of three, through the eyes of the world. Marking this extra special occasion, we have also struck a limited-edition gold coin made with 5oz of fine gold and struck in high relief to elevate the artistry of the design. Our limited-edition precious metal coins combine fine craftsmanship and rarity, making them an attractive keepsake for collectors and investors.”

Speaking of the design, Royal Mint designer Thomas T. Docherty said: “The design strikes a balance between the fresh energy of His Royal Highness being a young dad with the ceremonial nature of his Royal position. A three-quarter angle of the portrait creates a more dynamic portrait rather than a traditional side-on profile. I used certain clay sculpting techniques on a digital platform to achieve the style needed for the design, to translate effectively from two to three dimensions. Using technology, we can now produce designs and sculptures with better efficiency compared to when I began my career 17 years ago. There’s a high level of skills and craftsmanship needed to sculpt designs – the tools are different, but the principles remain the same.”

The project has been a labour of love for the 40-year-old father-of-two from Glasgow who moved to South Wales to study at Cardiff Metropolitan University twenty years ago. The experienced coin designer joined The Royal Mint in 2005 and his works include the 2008 £2 coin commemorating the centenary of the 1908 London Olympics, the Remembrance Day 2016 Alderney £5 coin and the 2018 Bicentenary of Mary Shelly’s Frankenstein £2 coin.

Thomas added: “Even though our lives are a million miles apart, I understand how it feels to have just turned 40 and to have a young family of my own, so I wanted to ensure I captured His Royal Highness accurately at this stage in his life. I am incredibly proud to have designed and sculpted this coin, it will forever stand as a major achievement and highlight in my career.”