New for 2011, a very artistic Royal Mint Silver Medal celebrates, in the words of its creator, the ‘skills and craftsmanship of coin making combined with timeless aesthetics’.
Incredibly intricate, the theme of the new medal focuses chiefly on the spectacular coin designs of the Tudor era and concentrates on the use of heraldic devices of the time, some of which are familiar to this day. Coin collectors in particular will appreciate the artist’s use of famous mintmarks used by various moneyers throughout the ages to identify the coins struck under their supervision, as well as the reigning monarch.
A magnificent 65mm in diameter, the medal contains four ounces of pure silver and is hallmarked to guarantee its provenance and silver content. A unique number features on the edge and is matched on the illustrated booklet accompanying each medal.
The medal was designed by Heena Aujla, one of the Royal Mint’s new generation of coin designers who are as skilled with the computer as they are with ‘traditional’ pencil and paper. In designing the new silver medal for 2011 Heena was conscious of the Royal Mint’s rich numismatic traditions: ‘Collectors of all ages have a passion for collecting coins, and appreciate beautiful or historically significant pieces. My intention was to design a medal that treasures the years of heritage of skill and craftsmanship combined with timeless aesthetics. I wanted to take our collectors on a journey of coinage, from the medieval minting in the age of the Tudors to how that has evolved through to today’s high quality pieces, illustrating the evolution of coin design in terms of heraldry, art of lettering, and meaningful symbols.’