The Royal Mint issues a custom, Platinum Jubilee, 15kg gold coin, the biggest in its history

If there was anything the old adage ‘If you have to ask the price, you can’t afford it’ applies to more than a 15 kg gold coin from the Royal Mint, we’d love to see it. As part of the mint’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations, they’ve produced a solitary gold coin for a special customer, and it’s the biggest the Royal Mint has made in its entire 1,100-year long history.

Regular Royal Mint coin artist John Bergdahl was given the task, and spent 400 hours realising this numismatic behemoth. It’s classic Royal Mint fare, packed with heraldic-style iconography. The obverse, for which we never received images unfortunately (you can see it in the video), has the Queen on horseback, rather than the traditional effigy. It’s all beautifully presented, of course, but you would expect nothing less at this level.

What is that level? Well, as I write, the metal alone comes in around £720,000 (about $900,000 USD), and this is a one-off custom piece involving extensive hand-crafting, so we reckon our mystery buyer stumped up at least £1m ($1.25m USD). Obviously, an avid coin collector with an eye to history, it will be fascinating to read about this a hundred years from now, but as I’ll no doubt have passed away from one curry and lager binge too many, it’ll be down to my cyborg clone to do those honours…

PRESS RELEASE

The Royal Mint has produced it largest ever coin in celebration of Her Majesty The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee – a unique 15-kilogram gold masterpiece commissioned by a private UK collector in recognition of Her Majesty’s historic 70-year reign. The coin, with a diameter of 220mm, is made of fine gold and has been hand-crafted to the highest standard, featuring a special-edition commemorative design on both sides that have been personally approved by The Queen.

The Royal Mint’s special release was designed by esteemed coinage artist John Bergdahl featuring a regal design befitting the longest-reigning monarch in British history. The reverse side depicts a crowned EIIR cypher surrounded by roses, daffodils, thistles and shamrocks, representing the United Kingdom. Adding original features to The Royal Mint’s largest coin, the reverse design includes a symbolic privy mark of the St Edward’s Crown worn during her coronation in 1953, positioned above the number ‘70’, in recognition of Her Majesty’s momentous celebration.

On the obverse side of the coin, a special commemorative design depicting The Queen on horseback is engraved on the precious metal. Inspired by the 1953 coronation crown coin created by Gilbert Ledward RA and the 2002 Golden Jubilee crown by Ian Rank-Broadley FRBS, the equestrian design has been created especially for the commemorative Platinum Jubilee collection, available from £7, at The Royal Mint.

As the trusted maker of coins for 1,100 years, The Royal Mint’s heritage of commemorating special people, anniversaries and events on precious metals is attracting new collectors and investors looking for bespoke and limited-edition pieces of art. The commemorative designs are brought to life by specialist craftspeople at The Royal Mint’s site in Llantrisant, South Wales, championing British minting skills and innovation.

The making of the Platinum Jubilee of Her Majesty The Queen’s 15 kilo gold coin required almost 400 hours of craftsmanship and refinement, and state-of-the-art engraving and laser technology. Rather than being struck between two dies like a standard coin, the rare large coins are cut into a solid gold ingot by a high-speed precision milling machine before the processes of burnishing, polishing, and frosting are carried out by hand to highlight key elements within the designs

Clare Maclennan, Divisional Director of Commemorative Coin at The Royal Mint said: “This special-edition coin made of 15kilograms of fine gold is the masterpiece in the Platinum Jubilee collection, combining the finest craftsmanship and innovation rooted in our heritage as the original maker of coins for the monarchs and in celebration of Her Royal Majesty’s momentous 70 years on the throne. The largest coin ever made by The Royal Mint, it is a unique piece of art that will endure as a legacy of the occasion for generations to come. The one-off piece, commissioned by a private collector, represents our growth as the home of precious metals in the UK, making metals precious to our customers across all our collections.”

The private UK collector, and owner of the commemorative Platinum Jubilee of Her Majesty The Queen 15 kilogram gold coin, said: “As a long-standing customer of The Royal Mint, I have invested in unique and interesting coins marking moments throughout The Queen’s reign that will remain in my family for generations. The latest and greatest in my collection is the Platinum Jubilee coin, designed by John Bergdahl and brought to life in 15 kilograms of solid gold. The beautiful design stands apart as a fitting tribute to Her Majesty’s service to our nation, and the craftsmanship is simply breathtaking, ensuring a once-in-a-lifetime moment will live on in history on UK coin.”

Paul Morgan, Technical Manager at The Royal Mint, added: “As the largest UK coin to date, the scale and diameter of the piece has allowed us to push the boundaries of minting to produce an exceptional level of relief and detail. It is a true testament to the expertise and skills of our in-house design and production teams, and their ability to collaborate with the finest artists. The combination of traditional craftsmanship and modern technology has produced a truly one-of-a-kind piece of art.”

The Royal Mint has told the story of The Queen’s reign on UK coin since her accession to the throne in 1952, including five definitive portraits of Her Majesty and marking royal milestones such as previous Jubilee occasions on commemorative crown pieces.

For The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, The Royal Mint launched one of the largest ever commemorative collections, including a traditional £5 crown and the first Royalty themed 50p. The best-selling collection has been popular with new and existing collectors in the UK and oversees, with most of the precious metal 50p and £5 coins selling out at The Royal Mint website on the day of the launch.