15 June 2024
|
The Royal Mint has marked the recent 80th anniversary of D-Day with a new brilliant uncirculated 50p coin.
The reverse of the coin has been designed by artist David Lawrence and depicts Allied soldiers disembarking a landing craft onto one of the beaches of Normandy, with offensive aircraft shown in the sky above. An inscription reading ‘D-Day 6 JUNE 1944 UTAH OMAHA GOLD JUNO SWORD’ accompanies the imagery. Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno and Sword were the code names given to the 5 assault beaches which formed part of Operation Overlord.
Above: The reverse of the coin shows Allied troops disembarking a landing craft onto a beach in Normandy
Related article: New £5 coin marks 75th anniversary of the end of the Second World War
The coin is available directly from The Royal Mint in ¼ oz gold proof (with a mintage of 500), silver proof (with a mintage of 5,000) and brilliant uncirculated editions. The range also includes a sovereign, struck on the D-Day 80th anniversary, which feature a special ‘80’ privy mark denoting the commemoration.
This 50p coin commemorating D-Day is the first in a new selection of military themed coins from The Royal Mint and was developed with the assistance of Imperial War Museums (IWM). David Fenton, assistant director of commercial at Imperial War Museums said: ‘We are delighted to be able to support The Royal Mint’s D-Day 50p coin to mark the anniversary. D-Day was the largest combined naval, air and land operation in the history of warfare. This coin is a poignant reminder of those who fought so bravely and sacrificed so much during this intrepid mission.’
A tribute to the D-Day 80th anniversary 50p
The release of The Royal Mint’s D-Day 80th anniversary 50p coin has been marked by French sand artist Jehan-Benjamin Tarain, with support from fellow sand artist Sam Dougados. They have recreated the reverse design of the new D-Day 80th anniversary 50p coin on ‘Gold’ beach in Normandy, where nearly 25,000 men of the British 50th Division landed. The piece has been scaled at 35m in diameter and took 5 hours and 30 minutes to complete.
Above: The reverse design of the D-Day 80th anniversary coin has been recreated on 'Gold' beach in Normandy
Related article: £2 coin marks 75th anniversary of VE Day
Artist Jehan-Benjamin Tarain said: ‘This project has been extremely special. The Royal Mint’s commemorative coin marking the 80th anniversary of D-Day is a fitting tribute to all who served during World War II. My team and I feel very fortunate to have played a role in helping to translate the craftmanship seen in the design of this coin into a piece of sand art on one of the beaches where troops landed. This collaboration plays an important reminder of the united allied effort between French and British forces 80 years ago.’