The UK Royal Mint launches Paul McCartney coins

From paulmccartney.com, December 6, 2024:

In a groundbreaking career which has seen Paul win countless awards and receive some of the world’s most prestigious honours – today marks a career first as The Royal Mint launches an official Paul McCartney coin.

The coin features Paul’s iconic Magic Piano as well as several references to his record-breaking career – including piano notes personally chosen by Paul, a Höfner Violin Bass guitar and the Wings logo.

The design was officially approved by Paul and marks the first time he has appeared on an official UK coin. The £5 coin collection is available in a range of finishes, as well as coloured editions which brings the Magic Piano to life for fans.  

Paul is one of the most successful British musicians and songwriters of all time. As a member of both The Beatles and Wings, he became a rock ‘n’ roll superstar, but his continued work as a solo artist has cemented him as one of the greatest artists in history. Paul has just completed the South American leg of his acclaimed Got Back tour – which saw him play to over 500,000 people in eight countries. The tour has just started its European leg and will finish the year with home shows in Manchester and London later this month.

Inspired by Paul’s use of pennies as guitar picks in the early days, The Royal Mint has also created a special edition plectrum shaped version of the coin to gift to Paul. The one-off plectrum has been produced using sustainable gold, recovered from e-waste at The Royal Mint’s factory in South Wales.

Rebecca Morgan, Director of Commemorative Coin at The Royal Mint said, “Our coins recognise the greatest icons and events in British history, so it’s fitting that Paul McCartney’s remarkable music career is now celebrated on an official UK coin. What makes this coin extra special is that Paul has been involved throughout the design process. The coin celebrates elements from throughout his solo career, and we hope fans will enjoy the layered references to songs, instruments and bands.” 

In early 2025 The Royal Mint will offer fans the chance to own a unique piece of history, auctioning a signed, gold edition of Paul’s coin. The bespoke gold coin weighs five kilos and took over 250 hours to make, including three days of hand polishing. It was signed by Paul during his 2024 Got Back tour in Paris and will be auctioned alongside four silver five kilo editions.   

From AP News, December 6, 2024:

LONDON (AP) — Beatles legend Paul McCartney is being honored in a specially minted British coin collection.

The Royal Mint, which has struck the coins of monarchs from Alfred the Great in the ninth century through to King Charles III, revealed Friday that it is launching a McCartney coin collection for collectors to buy.

On one side of the coins, as is custom, will be the king. On the other, it will be all about McCartney’s career in the wake of the Beatles split in 1970.

The Royal Mint said the range will come in a variety of finishes as well as colored editions. The most valuable one will be the 2-ounce gold proof coin, which will have a face value of 200 pounds ($255), but will go on sale at a recommended retail price of 5,890 pounds ($7,510).

Though legal tender, but with the price differential, it’s unlikely — if not irrational — for anyone using the coins in everyday to use them to pay for, say, a McCartney concert.

Among other features, the coins feature McCartney’s iconic Magic Piano. a multicolored upright he first used in 1967 while still in arguably the greatest band of all with John Lennon, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. A replica was made for McCartney’s 1989/1990 world tour and been used in subsequent tours.

There are other references too, including piano notes chosen by McCartney, his famous Höfner Violin Bass guitar, the logo of his post-Beatles band, Wings, as well as his signature.

“This feels like a huge honor,” McCartney said. “It’s not anything I would have ever expected to happen when I was a kid.”

The Royal Mint also said it has created a special edition plectrum-shaped version of the coin to gift to the 82-year-old McCartney, who in his early days played with pennies as guitar picks.

The coins are part of the Royal Mint’s Music Legends collection that also features the likes of David Bowie, George Michael and the Rolling Stones.

“Our coins recognize the greatest icons and events in British history, so it’s fitting that Paul McCartney’s remarkable music career is now celebrated on an official U.K. coin,” said Rebecca Morgan, Director of Commemorative Coin at The Royal Mint.

“What makes this coin extra special is that Paul has been involved throughout the design process,” she added.

The Royal Mint also said that it will auction a signed, gold edition of McCartney’s coin. The bespoke gold coin weighs five kilograms and took over 250 hours to make, including three days of hand polishing. It was signed by McCartney during his 2024 “Got Back” tour in Paris and will be auctioned alongside four silver five-kilogram editions.

From Paul McCartney 2024 UK 2oz Gold Proof Coin | The Royal Mint:

• £5,890.00

• Limited Edition 82

• Only 82 coins are available in this Limited Edition Presentation
• Struck in 999.9 fine gold and finished to Proof standard
• The first time the singer-songwriter has been honoured on a UK coin
• Features a detailed reverse design by Osborne Ross that includes Paul McCartney’s signature alongside his iconic Höfner bass and legendary ‘Magic Piano Pattern’
• Accompanied by a detailed booklet celebrating the singer-songwriter’s incredible career
• An official release produced in partnership with MPL Communications