Prince Philip’s Memory Honored With Unique Limited Edition Coin To Commemorate Armed Forces Day

Jun 28, 2021 by apost team

The death of Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, on April 9, 2021, sent the United Kingdom into mourning, especially ardent supporters of the British monarchy. The queen's husband of over seven decades was a well-loved member of the royal family, but his death at the age of 99 came after two months of ill health.

Philip's passing ended his reign as the longest-serving royal spouse, having served alongside Queen Elizabeth II for 65 years and having been married to the monarch for 73 years in total. 

Philip's funeral was held just over one week after his passing on April 17, 2021, and the ceremony was a quiet affair with only 30 people in attendance due to the current restrictions. Generally, a man of Philips's stature would have received a state funeral with a minimum of 800 people in attendance, but this could not happen due to the ongoing pandemic. 

The guestlist of 30 people only comprised the closest royal family members, including Philip and Elizabeth's four children, as well as their grandchildren, including Prince William and Prince Harry.

Now, in a tribute to Prince Philip, The Royal Mint is set to release a special limited edition £5 coin in his honor, in order to commemorate Armed Forces Day, which falls on June 26, 2021. The coin will come in two variations including silver proof and gold proof, and it will feature a design that the late prince approved back in 2008. The coin will feature a portrait of Prince Philip, as well as an inscription in his honor. 

The limited-edition coin will include the inscription "HRH The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh 1921–2021," as well as a portrait of Prince Philip. Artist Ian Rank-Broadley is behind the portrait that appears on the coin and the design was approved by the Duke of Edinburgh himself all the way back in 2008. The meeting between the artist and Prince Philip took place that year in the late prince's personal library, with Rank-Broadley describing the meeting, as reported by the BBC:

"The portrait sitting took place in Prince Philip’s library, and you could tell he was a widely read and thoughtful person."

Coinciding with Armed Forces Day, the June 26 release date of the coin aims to commemorate Prince Philip's life and legacy. The release is particularly fitting as the Duke of Edinburgh's own naval career started when he was just 17 years old. Furthermore, the prince had a long relationship with the Royal Mint, which was one of his many patronages while he served as the royal consort. In fact, Prince Philip was the President of the Royal Mint Advisory Committee from 1952–1999, equaling 47 years. While he served as the president, he approved of four portraits of Queen Elizabeth II, as well as the creation of new coins for decimalization.

Despite counting as legal tender in the United Kingdom, the £5 coin won't enter circulation as it's only been made to be a collectible. Its creation keeps with British royal tradition where special royal occasions — such as jubilees and coronations — are marked as £5 crown coins. 

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As reported by the BBC, The Royal Mint's chief executive, Anne Jessopp, stated:

“Since the passing of the Duke of Edinburgh in April, many have commented that he led a life well-lived ... The Royal Mint has marked significant royal events for centuries and is honoured to unveil an original new coin which celebrates the life and legacy of a remarkable man.”

Meanwhile, chancellor Rishi Sunak called the release of the coin a "fitting tribute" to the queen's longtime husband, who "moved and inspired so many people around the world with his decades of service." He added:

"I'm proud to unveil the coin on Armed Forces Day, considering his distinguished naval career and unwavering dedication to our monarch and to his royal duties, and it is only right that he and the Queen are depicted together on both sides of it."

In Philip's honor, the Royal Mint has announced it will donate £50,000 to the Duke of Edinburgh's Award (DofE Award) — a program that was started in Feb. 1956 and which supports the development of young people around the world. The chief executive of the DofE Award, Ruth Marvel, called the coin a "wonderful tribute," adding that it would help to:

"...build on the Duke of Edinburgh's legacy so more young people can start their DofE Award journey and develop the skills, resilience and self-belief they will need to successfully navigate the challenges of adult life."

It's wonderful to see that not only is Prince Philip's memory being honored with this coin but that the money donated by the Royal Mint will continue to give back to the community. 

What do you think about the special limited-edition coin that's being made to honor Prince Philip's life? If you found this article interesting, be sure to pass it on to those you know.