Royal Mint, U.S. Mint unveil joint project design
- Published: Jan 13, 2024, 8 AM
The United States Mint and The Royal Mint are collaborating on a design created by both mints’ chief engravers for the 2024 Liberty & Britannia program.
Following a successful joint project in 2021 featuring the 400th Anniversary of the Mayflower Voyage coins and medals, the United States Mint and the Royal Mint are working together once again on a different type of project.
This one features a unique design collaboration between the chief engravers of two of the world’s largest and oldest Mints.
The design features Liberty and Britannia, two historical themes featured on many coins over the years, but never together on one unified design.
American Liberty, historically represented by a woman in many variations, represents that bedrock value that is so important to Americans. She has appeared on U.S. coinage since the early years of the nation.
Britannia, a staple on British coinage since the late 1600s, has long been the national personification of Britain. Often a symbol of maritime power, this allegorical image has come to be a symbol of national pride and unity.
Two chief engravers
The United States and the United Kingdom have long shared a close relationship based on common values and ideals. In this project, the two nations’ historic mints have come together in a groundbreaking creative partnership, featuring the talent and skills of each mint’s chief engraver to produce a single design unifying Liberty and Britannia.
United States Mint Chief Engraver Joseph Menna and Royal Mint Chief Engraver Gordon Summers created the design celebrating harmony between the figures while giving each equal prominence.
The design features allegorical Liberty and Britannia depicted in stoic profile portraits featuring complementary and balancing elements suggestive of the faces on a playing card. Their appearance identifies each figure; Liberty carries a torch and is adorned with stars, while Britannia wields a trident and wears a Corinthian helmet. Inscriptions will be appropriate for each nation.
Mint officials comment
Representatives of both mints praised the design in a Jan. 9 press release.
“This has been an extraordinary opportunity for the United States Mint,” said U.S. Mint Director Ventris C. Gibson. “This occasion marks the first time that the Chief Engravers of both mints have collaborated on a single design. The combination of their artistic talents has resulted in a truly unique design that will surely be a collecting standout. Our hope is that this project expands the reach of both mints and leads to more opportunities for growth between our institutions.”
Nicola Howell, Chief Commercial Officer at the Royal Mint, comments: “I am delighted that our two great institutions have collaborated on this project, resulting in such an exquisite design, and making numismatic history by collaborating on a reverse design for the first time.... As The Royal Mint grows its prominence in the U.S., this is an ideal opportunity for us to embrace the wants and needs of our international customers as we work with our counterpart across the Atlantic.”
The U.S. Mint and the Royal Mint will each utilize this design on products to become available later in 2024, but neither mint has confirmed what those products might be.
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