Posts by Chris Bowditch
Westminster Collection raises £1.25m for the Royal British Legion
Thank you for helping raise £1.25m for the Royal British Legion.
For nearly 20 years, we’ve had the privilege of working in partnership with the Royal British Legion.
Each year we’ve created Remembrance and Poppy-themed coins and commemoratives to raise funds and awareness for the charity.
The 2022 RBL Poppy Masterpiece Coin 
The RBL Centenary Silver 50p Set 
The RBL Poppy Shaped Commemorative 
The RBL Centenary Gold £5 Coin 
The 2021 RBL Poppy Masterpiece 
The 2019 Gold Proof Poppy Coin 
The 2019 RBL Poppy Masterpiece 
The High Relief Poppy Silver Coin 
The 2018 RBL Poppy Masterpiece 
The 2017 RBL Poppy Masterpiece Coin
Through the sales of these coins and commemoratives, collectors have helped raise a remarkable £1.25 MILLION for the Royal British Legion!
We are extremely proud of this achievement, and hugely thankful to our collectors raised such an incredible amount.
In addition to raising funds for RBL over the years, we’ve also had the opportunity to find out more about their incredible work for the Armed Forces Community.
And earlier this month, when we presented RBL with a cheque for £1.25 million, we had the pleasure of meeting Robert Benham, Regional Lead – Admiral Nursing – Hampshire.
Delivered in partnership with Dementia UK, Admiral Nurses give one-to-one support and expert advice for people living with a diagnosis of dementia, their families and their carers. The effects of dementia can be devastating for the whole family, but Admiral Nurses help to ease the burden and reassure families that they are not alone.
Where do your donations go?
£1.25 million raised by The Westminster Collection for the Royal British Legion could enable it’s dedicated frontline advisors to help over 7,590 people in the Armed Forces community and their families get access to the help that they need.
Every day, RBL Case Officers provide practical and emotional one-to-one support, helping Serving and ex-Serving personnel, and their families, to get the help they deserve. The needs of the Armed Forces community are becoming more complex and can include a wide range of issues such as employment, finances, or housing; RBL Case Officers are ready to help and advise whatever the issue.
The funds raised by The Westminster Collection can help people like Lawrence.
Following seven years in the Army, Lawrence was medically discharged after injuring his spine whilst weightlifting.
After an exemplary military career Lawrence found himself struggling to adapt to civilian life.
To help Lawrence get the support he needed his fiancée Danielle advised him to get in touch with the Royal British Legion.
He was contacted by one of the RBL’s local Case Officers, Paul James, who was able to get Lawrence the mental health support he needed.
In December 2020, when Lawrence was unable to work due to Covid-19, his debt suddenly spiralled by almost 400%. But the RBL’s Benefits, Debt and Money Advice team (BDMA) were able to help.
Lawrence said: “They [the RBL] have helped me sort out both my mental health and my financial health. I’m debt-free and looking forward to starting a new career, I cannot thank them enough.”
To find out more about the Royal British Legion, click here.
What’s next for our partnership?
We’re excited to see our longstanding partnership with the Royal British Legion continue later this year when we’ll be launching the latest additions to our Official RBL Poppy coins and commemoratives range.
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The Silver Coin that Speaks Volumes: An Entire Speech Engraved in Precious Metal
Let me introduce you to a coin that speaks volumes…
Meticulously crafted from Pure Silver, the impressive King’s Speech 5oz 100mm Coin has been issued to honour King Charles III’s defining moment as Monarch.
Every word of the emotional and historic address he gave to the nation following the passing of Queen Elizabeth II feature on this coin – that’s 977 words in total!
A Monarch’s Defining Moment
On the 9th September 2022, just one day removed from Her Late Majesty’s passing, King Charles III made the poignant speech. In the address he paid tribute to his mother and pledged to show the same unwavering commitment to duty.
And so, this coin not only commemorates King Charles III’s first ever speech as Monarch but it also honours the incredible reign of Queen Elizabeth II.
Relive the King’s Speech…
The King’s Speech Pure Silver 5oz Coin is a true numismatic masterpiece, one that has seen incredible demand from collectors worldwide.
In fact its Pure Gold Counterpart, priced at a staggering £59,995, had an edition limit of JUST 5.
Making a Masterpiece
The King’s Speech Silver 5oz is an impressive combination of artistic expression and technical prowess.
The delicate process of striking 977 words onto a coin has been achieved using the process of micro-engraving. Every single word has been meticulously engraved onto the die, a painstaking process that requires remarkable precision and expertise. Skilled artisans devoted countless hours to ensuring that each letter has been flawlessly etched.
Once the micro-engraving is complete, the die is ready to undergo the next step in the coin production process. With force and finesse, it is expertly struck multiple times, employing immense pressure to achieve the pristine Proof finish which brings the micro-engraved words to life.
Of course, fitting a 9 minute speech onto a coin presented a major challenge. That’s why each coin has been struck from FIVE OUNCES of Pure Silver and measure at an incredible 100mm.
With its minted design, lustrous silver content and the sheer significance of the occasion it commemorates, this coin is an absolute must-have for collectors worldwide.
If you’re interested…
A strict edition limit of 750 has been set. For one of the most remarkable coins we’ve ever seen, that simply will not be enough…
The Coronation coin that costs as much as a new Porsche
Let me introduce you to one of the most expensive coins I’ve ever seen…
Just 5 of these Half Kilo Gold coins have been commissioned to celebrate the Coronation of King Charles III on 6 May 2023 and they are priced at a staggering £59,995!
It’s also one of the largest Gold coins I’ve ever seen, measuring an immense 100mm in diameter.
And it needs to be because the coin contains the entirety of King Charles III’s first-ever speech as monarch.
On screens across the world, His Majesty paid tribute to his mother and revealed his vision and desires for this forthcoming reign.
All 977 words he spoke to the nation following the death of his mother. It started:
I speak to you today with feelings of profound sorrow. Throughout her life, Her Majesty The Queen – my beloved Mother – was an inspiration and example to me and to all my family, and we owe her the most heartfelt debt any family can owe to their mother; for her love, affection, guidance, understanding and example. Queen Elizabeth’s was a life well lived; a promise with destiny kept and she is mourned most deeply in her passing. That promise of lifelong service I renew to you all today…
King Charles III’s First Speech. 9th September 2022.
But that’s not even a tenth of it.
So even with the large 100mm canvas, it still took something special to fit 977 words onto the coin.
Crafted to the highest standard, the coin features Charles III’s cypher under a crown and the words “FAITH AND DUTY”, but it’s the other 977 words that capture the attention.
His Majesty’s speech has been reproduced using incredible micro-engraving.
How do you fit 977 words on a coin?
It’s a painstakingly precise process, but one that results in one of the most impressive coins issued for the Coronation.
And with just 5 ever to be produced, it’s as close to a piece of art as you’re going to find for a Coronation coin.
The exclusivity, the size, the gold content and the complexity of the minting give the coin a price-tag that you’d expect to see on a brand new Porsche…
£59,995 to be one of just 5 collectors in the world to own this remarkable coin.
Own the same coin, but for a hundreth of the price…
You have the opportunity to secure this extraordinary coin at just one-hundredth of the price…
Introducing the King’s Speech 100mm Silver 5oz Coin…
This spectacular coins embody the same level of intricacy and artistry as their Gold counterparts, showcasing every minute detail with flawless precision.
And they’re incredibly limited, with an edition limit of just 750.
Watch the video below and see for yourself the impeccable craftsmanship of this regal masterpiece.
Click here to make one yours before it’s too late with an initial payment of just £69.50 (+p&p) >>