The Royal Mint’s celebration of British Music Legends continues with Dame Shirley Bassey, the sixth in the series

With a line-up to date that has included such luminaries as Queen, Elton John, David Bowie, The Rolling Stones, and The Who., the Royal Mint’s ‘Music Legends’ series more than lives up to its name. The sixth coin in the series has now launched, and it features a female vocalist for the first time, and one quite different in character to the artists featured to date.

Dame Shirley Bassey, a legendary Welsh singer, has captivated audiences worldwide with her powerful and soulful voice. Born in 1937, she rose to fame in the 1960s and became renowned for her iconic performances of James Bond theme songs like “Goldfinger,” “Diamonds Are Forever,” and “Moonraker.” With a career spanning over six decades, Bassey’s rich vocal range and magnetic stage presence has made her a true music icon. She has sold millions of records, received numerous awards, and her timeless classics continue to resonate with audiences today. Dame Shirley Bassey’s contributions to the music industry have solidified her place as one of the greatest vocalists of all time.

This coin has a little more of that ‘sparkly pizazz’ than the often understated entrants to date, and is centred around a silhouette of the songstress in front of her name in big lights, with the rays of a stage light emanating from behind it. The names of two of her most famous songs, both for another British icon of a different sort – James Bond – are also inscribed here. The singer’s name is filled with an effect the mint is calling a ‘confetti’ effect, which you may be able to make out on the video. The obverse carries the new effigy of King Charles III.

The range of formats has been curtailed on the information we received., with silver down from three to two, the five-ounce coin not yet putting in an appearance. Gold is down from five to just three sizes, and again, it’s the biggest that have disappeared. Whether they return in the future remains to be seen. Mintages across the board are down from previous issues. All are boxed, with a Certificate of Authenticity, and a themed shipper. For those on a budget, there’s a base-metal, brilliant uncirculated variant with an unlimited mintage, for £14.50, and the Royal Mint is also selling the same thing with the coloured logo for an extra £9 on their own site, and that one has a mintage limit of 5,000 pieces. All available now

PRESS RELEASE

The Royal Mint, official maker of UK coins, has today unveiled a collectable coin celebrating Dame Shirley Bassey with a design that pays tribute to her incredible 70 years in the world of show business. To celebrate the launch, The Royal Mint welcomed Dame Shirley to strike one of the very first coins, giving her own seal of approval on the new coin and its design.

The coin’s dazzling design acknowledges the three Bond theme tunes for which Dame Shirley provided vocals, and pays tribute to the performer’s Welsh roots through a small depiction of the Welsh dragon. Taking centre stage is a silhouette of Dame Shirley Bassey. Using the latest innovative technology and manufacturing techniques, the collectable coin will feature a ‘confetti’ stardust style effect in the text ‘Dame Shirley Bassey’ in a special nod to her showstopping career. The reverse design, on a selection of the coins, also features cut lettering, which creates a diamond like faceting, mirroring the text ‘Diamonds Are Forever’.

This effect has been achieved by using lasers to cut layers, which are less than 1/200th the thickness of a human hair, into a selection of the coins available in the range. The technique created the opportunity to produce a microstructure which resembles a myriad of stars cut at varying heights. This allows light to then be reflected from different angles, adding to the light play of the design.

Rebecca Morgan, Director of Collector Services at The Royal Mint, said: “As The Royal Mint continues its popular Music Legends coin series, we are honoured to dedicate the next coin in the collection to celebrate the vibrant and glamorous career of Dame Shirley Bassey, It was a privilege to have Shirley Bassey visit The Royal Mint in Llantrisant to strike one of the first coins and meet the team of makers that have created this wonderful design. Our Music Legends series is engaging new generations of coin collectors, and we hope this design will become a cherished part of any fans’ memorabilia.”

Dame Shirley Bassey said: “My collaboration with The Royal Mint is an incredibly exciting moment for me. It’s thrilling to know that my silhouette, and the Welsh Dragon, will be featured on my very own coin, and to be the first female included within the Music Legends collection is an absolute honour.”