The Royal Mint commemorates the historic visit of Pope Benedict XVI to the UK

16 Sep 2010

Today, the Royal Mint announces the creation of a new official medal to commemorate the Pope’s visit to the UK this month. The limited edition medal, which is available in gold, silver and base metal, has been designed by the Royal Mint designer, Gordon Summers.

The official medal commemorates the historical significance of Pope Benedict XVI’s first visit to the UK. As the first papal visit since 1982, it also marks the first opportunity for generations of Catholics to be in the presence of the Head of the Roman Catholic Church. This beautifully crafted medal is an excellent way to mark this special occasion.

Dave Knight, Director of Commemorative Coin at the Royal Mint said: "Pope Benedict XVI’s visit is a historical event of significance. This is the first Papal visit in many people’s lives and it is an incredibly important occasion for them. Therefore the Royal Mint wanted to commemorate this momentous event by creating the official medal, which is a fitting way to mark his arrival."

The official medal features two distinct images on both sides. The obverse displays the official Papal Visit logo with the crossed keys of heaven and earth along with the year of the visit: 2010. The reverse side includes the majestic figure of Pope Benedict XVI with the cross in the background.

The base metal medal in a presentation pack has a RRP of £10, the silver medal has a RRP of £45 and the gold medal has a RRP of £775. All three are available from the Royal Mint, visit www.royalmint.com to order yours today.