2020 saw an array of designs on official UK coins produced by The Royal Mint, from renowned scientist Rosalind Franklin to James Bond, from Winnie the Pooh and friends to the beautifully timeless Sovereign. We commemorated British music legends and the rich history of The Tower of London.
You have voted in the thousands to conclude what is your 2020's most loved coin design.
And the winner is...
Winner
1. Diversity built Britain
Britain’s history is rich and diverse. For more than 1,100 years, the nation’s story has been told through coins struck by The Royal Mint, a narrative carried in the pockets and purses of all its people. The contribution of ethnic minority communities has been such an important part of that story but has often gone unrecognised. This coin has been created to celebrate all the people who have made Britain what it is today.
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2. Withdrawal from the European Union
Commonly known as 'Brexit,' the United Kingdom's withdrawal from the European Union officially took place on 31 January 2020. The withdrawal serves as culmination of a period in British history kicked off by a referendum on 23 June 2016 which was followed by the country triggering Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty on 29 March 2017. The UK’s withdrawal from the European Union is a significant moment in the history of the UK, the EU and Europe and this coin has been struck as a means of observing this milestone.
Read more3. Remembrance Day
Remembrance Day is an annual day of reflection where our collective thoughts turn to those who sacrificed so much to ensure the freedom of future generations. In addition to the typical Armistice tributes, 2020 also marks a very special anniversary – the historic centenary of the burial of the Unknown Warrior. In 1920, the decision was made to honour all those who died during the First World War with the ceremonial burial of an anonymous fallen hero. The unnamed soldier would symbolise all those who had made the journey to the front lines and never returned home. As we mark the 100th anniversary of this poignant national event, The Royal Mint commemorates this momentous occasion by honouring the Unknown Warrior on an official UK coin for the first time. Find out more about the coin’s design and the fascinating story that inspired it.
Read more4. Team GB
Since the first modern Games in 1896, where British athletes secured seven medals, men and women from across Great Britain have strived for gold in the greatest sporting competition in the world. Over the course of the next century and beyond that goal remained, with much success in the process. Ahead of the Games of the XXXII Olympiad in Tokyo, Team GB looked set to continue their winning ways in 2020. Sadly, the IOC was forced to postpone the 2020 Games due to the global COVID-19 pandemic, marking the first total postponement in the history of the Olympic Games. Despite the rescheduling, the elite athletes of Team GB continue to push boundaries and maintain peak performance in the hopes of making history when the Games return. In honour of this athletic excellence, Team GB have been immortalised with a 50p coin designed by Royal Mint designer David Knapton.
Read more5. Queen
Formed in London in the early 1970s, Queen augmented their hard rock sound with pop sensibilities, redefining the genre and elevating it to another level. Recording a string of smash hits, fans flocked to see them live, their foot-stomping anthems and epic ballads delivered with panache by their flamboyant frontman, tragically gone too soon. Widely regarded as one of the greatest bands in history, Queen are celebrated with a design that features the iconic instruments played by each founding member: Brian May’s Red Special guitar, John Deacon’s Fender Precision bass™ Roger Taylor’s Ludwig™ bass drum and Freddie Mercury’s Bechstein™ grand piano with the opening notes of Bohemian Rhapsody pressed down. Alongside a gold Proof, silver Proof and standard Brilliant Uncirculated edition, the BU coin is also available in three different slipcase covers exclusive to The Royal Mint – a fitting tribute to the career of one of Britain’s best-loved bands.
Read moreComplete Results
# | Coins | Votes | Percentage (%) |
37 | The Royal Menagerie | 8 | 0.12% |
36 | The Infamous Prison | 13 | 0.19% |
35 | Shaken Not Stirred | 18 | 0.26% |
34 | Hylaeosaurus | 20 | 0.29% |
33 | The Royal Mint | 20 | 0.29% |
32 | Lunar Year of the Ox | 21 | 0.30% |
31 | Pay Attention 007 | 22 | 0.32% |
30 | Iguanodon | 32 | 0.46% |
29 | The White Tower | 38 | 0.55% |
28 | The White Greyhound of Richmond | 45 | 0.65% |
27 | Megalosaurus | 49 | 0.71% |
26 | The White Horse of Hanover | 78 | 1.13% |
25 | Peter Rabbit | 92 | 1.33% |
24 | William Wordsworth | 121 | 1.75% |
23 | Elton John | 139 | 2.02% |
22 | End of the Second World War | 143 | 2.07% |
21 | George III | 144 | 2.09% |
20 | Rosalind Franklin | 144 | 2.09% |
19 | Piglet | 148 | 2.15% |
18 | British Red Cross | 149 | 2.16% |
17 | The Sovereign | 150 | 2.17% |
16 | James Bond 007 Special Issue | 156 | 2.26% |
15 | Bond James Bond | 160 | 2.32% |
14 | Christopher Robin | 168 | 2.44% |
13 | VE day | 170 | 2.46% |
12 | Captain James Cook | 186 | 2.70% |
11 | The Snowman | 232 | 3.36% |
10 | Britannia | 247 | 3.58% |
9 | David Bowie | 266 | 3.86% |
8 | Mayflower | 267 | 3.87% |
7 | Agatha Christie | 281 | 4.07% |
6 | Winnie the Pooh | 283 | 4.10% |
5 | Queen | 306 | 4.44% |
4 | Team GB | 356 | 5.16% |
3 | Remembrance Day | 654 | 9.48% |
2 | Withdrawal from European Union | 707 | 10.25% |
1 |
Diversity built Britain
|
864 | 12.53% |
Total votes | 6897 | 100.00% |
Did you know you can now browse all the coins of the year in our UK Coin Archive?
Coin designs and specifications
View all coin designs from The Royal Mint since decimalisation
Read moreWith a wide range of coins that commemorate British landmark events and anniversaries, we at The Royal Mint have a fair few coin designs to both admire and reminisce - take a trip down memory lane with the help of our archive.
Read moreDiscover great stories from history and how we're celebrating these moments within The Royal Mint
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