The Ode of Remembrance, which incorporates Laurence Binyon's poem ‘For the Fallen’, has become an important part of most Remembrance ceremonies. Binyon's poem was first published in The Times in 1914, not long after the start of the war. Perhaps it is because of this that the poem lacks the cynicism that was common in the work of later war poets. Nonetheless, it is a poem that manages to capture the feeling of respectful melancholy that we often have when remembering those who have been lost to war.

The fourth stanza of the poem, commonly known as the Ode of Remembrance, will be familiar to anyone who has ever attended a wreath-laying ceremony or Remembrance Day service:

They shall not grow old, as we that are left grow old
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.

For the Remembrance Day 2019 coin, artist Harry Brockway has drawn inspiration from this ode, encompassing a solitary poppy with the final line of the ode, along with the dates 1919 and 2019 – marking 100 years since the first Remembrance Day ceremony.

IWM records and tells the stories of those who have lived, fought and died in conflict since 1914. The Royal Mint will donate to IWM 2.5% of the recommended retail price of this product and your purchase ensures that these stories are heard