Legendary guitar maker, Fender, is celebrated by PAMP with its sterling silver guitar pick

Who hasn’t heard of the Fender Stratocaster? If you have just the faintest interest in music, that’s a name that brings instant recognition. Used by such stars as Jimi Hendrix, Jeff Beck, Eric Clapton, Buddy Holly, Mark Knopfler, and George Harrison, the Strat has had an outsized influence on the styles of some of the world’s most popular performers. It wasn’t the first mass-produced-solid-bodied electric guitar to emanate from the fledgling company. That honour sits with the Telecaster, introduced 70 years ago in 1950.

What do you need to play a guitar? Well, a guitar pick, of course. Called a ‘plectrum’, the small flat object is used to ‘pick’ the strings on the guitar, and usually made from a uniform material, from plastic and rubber, through to stone, wood or metal. It’s the latter of those materials that brings us here, and not for the first time. We’ve already seen guitar pick coins from CIT (AC/DC) and BH Mayer (Woodstock), but this is the first time we’ve seen one branded for a particular guitar maker.

Formed in five grams of sterling silver, this one is touted as being playable, no doubt the reasoning behind 0.925 fineness metal, rather than the softer 0.999 type. Indeed, metal picks are said to have a ‘brighter’ sound, and are used to create a signature sound by such players as Queen’s Brian May. Also hinting at its usability is the pattern grip on both sides, and it follows the basically triangular shape, with its rounded points, perfectly. It certainly looks up to the job, but as someone with less musical ability than a one-year old with a rattle, what do I know?…

Packaging looks well done and the launch price of around $60.00 USD means it’s pretty affordable, if pricey for the amount of metal (understandable given the licenced nature). A neat gift issue for the musician, and with an open mintage.

UPDATE: This has an open mintage. My mistake, I misread the press info and got the date and mintage mixed up.

Fender

The Fender Musical Instruments Corporation (FMIC, or simply Fender) is an American manufacturer of stringed instruments and amplifiers. Fender produces acoustic guitars, bass amplifiers and public address equipment, but is best known for its solid-body electric guitars and bass guitars, particularly the Stratocaster, Telecaster, Jazzmaster, Precision Bass, and the Jazz Bass. The company was founded in Fullerton, California by Clarence Leonidas “Leo” Fender in 1946. Its headquarters are in Scottsdale, Arizona.

In 1950, Fender introduced the first mass-produced solid-body electric guitar, the Telecaster (“Tele”) (originally named the Broadcaster for two-pickup models and Esquire for single-pickup). Following its success, Fender created the first mass-produced electric bass, the Precision Bass (P-Bass). In August, 1954, Fender unveiled the Stratocaster (“Strat”) guitar. With the Telecaster and Precision Bass having been on the market for some time, Leo Fender was able to incorporate input from working musicians into the Stratocaster’s design.(Wikipedia)

SPECIFICATION
DENOMINATION None
COMPOSITION 0.925 silver
WEIGHT 5.0 grams
DIMENSIONS 25.0 x 30.0 mm
FINISH Proof-like
MODIFICATIONS Shaped
MINTAGE Unlimited
BOX / C.O.A. Yes / Yes