From the Skies of 1940 to the Battle of Britain Masterpiece Coin
When we picture the Battle of Britain, Spitfires often take centre stage, but it was the Hawker Hurricane that carried much of the burden in the summer of 1940. More numerous and relentlessly deployed, Hurricanes played a decisive role, and none more so than Hawker Hurricane P2725 TM-B.
On 15th September 1940, now known as Battle of Britain Day, Sergeant Ray Holms was flying Hurricane P2725 as part of the RAF’s defence of London. A Dornier bomber of the German Luftwaffe broke through the defences; its sights set directly on Buckingham Palace.
With his ammunition exhausted and just seconds to spare, Holmes made an extraordinary decision: he rammed the bomber head-on. He destroyed the enemy aircraft along with his own, bailing out as his Hurricane crashed into Buckingham Palace Road, narrowly sparing the Palace itself.
The action became one of the most iconic moments of the Battle of Britain – a lasting symbol of the courage of “The Few”.
Unearthing a Forgotten Legend
For more than sixty years, the remains of Hurricane P2725 lay buried beneath London’s streets. In 2004, following extensive research, aviation excavation specialist Christopher Bennett led a successful recovery of the wreckage. The excavation was televised live, and parts of the aircraft, including sections of its Rolls-Royce Merlin engine, were unearthed.
From Wreckage to Coin
Some recovered pieces were preserved in museums, while others found new purpose through TMB Art Metal, a London-based company owned by Bennett and named after the aircraft’s squadron code, TM-B.
Using fragments of the original Hurricane aluminium, the company creates carefully curated commemorative objects. One of the very first ever Hurricane sculptures crafted from the recovered metal was gifted to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and Duke of Edinburgh.
And, it’s one of these pieces created by TM-B Art Metal that now takes centre stage in the Battle of Britain Silver Masterpiece Coin.
Rather than simply depicting the Battle of Britain, the coin incorporates an authentic piece of metal from Hurricane P2725, embedded into the design as a propeller.
This propeller is a direct physical link to the events of 1940 – metal that once flew above London in defence of a nation, now preserved as a lasting tribute.
Because the supply of original Hurricane metal is so limited, only 495 Battle of Britain Silver Masterpiece Coins were created, and now fewer than 10% now remain.
If you would like to own a genuine fragment of this extraordinary story, a piece of an aircraft that helped defend Britain at its darkest hour, you can discover more or secure your coin here, while availability remains.
