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Royal Mint unveils largest coin ever weighing 5kg
'This is arguably one of the most admired designs amongst coin collectors across the globe,' Royal Mint spokesperson says
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The Royal Mint has launched its largest coin ever, a creation that measures 175mm in diameter, weighs 5kg and has a denomination of £5,000.
The coin has been created as part of The Royal Mint’s new Great Engravers series, which pays homage to artists who have worked on British coinage.
The first artist to be recognised for the series is William Wyon, who was chief engraver at The Royal Mint for 23 years until his death in 1851.
Wyon is well-known for his Una and the Lion design, which is featured on the coin.
The design was first featured on a £5 gold coin in 1839 to commemorate the beginning of Queen Victoria’s reign two years prior.
The tribute to Wyon’s work has been featured on a series of coins ranging in weight from 5kg to 2oz.
The 5kg coin, of which only one was made, has already been sold to an unknown buyer and is the largest coin The Royal Mint has ever produced in its history.
The 2kg coin, of which there are four, has a 150mm diameter and has a denomination of £2,000.
“The Great Engravers series celebrates some of the finest artists that have worked on the British coinage and we are thrilled to start the series with William Wyon’s Una and the Lion design,” said Nicola Howell, director of the consumer division at The Royal Mint.
“This is arguably one of the most admired designs amongst coin collectors across the globe, and remastering it onto five and two-kilo coins allows you to truly appreciate the detail of the design.”
Traditional and modern engraving techniques had to be combined to create the 5kg Una and the Lion coin, The Royal Mint explains.
The original die used almost two centuries ago had to be digitally scanned and lasers were later used to cut the design onto the coin, before it was hand polished.
The Una and the Lion coin is available to purchase from The Royal Mint website in a variety of finishes, with prices starting from £180.
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