What if owning a commemorative coin felt less like acquiring a collectible and more like bringing home a specially commissioned work of art?
That was exactly the ambition behind the first-of-its-kind 1kg St. Paul’s Cathedral sculpture coin – a piece that blurs the boundary between numismatics and fine art. A weighty full kilo and struck in extraordinary high relief, the coin captures one of Britain’s most historic landmarks in breathtaking detail.
We sat down with Rudolph Farkas, the renowned artist behind the design to explore the vision, the craftsmanship and the emotion poured into this remarkable piece.
“This Was Never Just a Coin.”
From the outset, the artist was clear: this project demanded more than traditional coin design.
“When you’re working at this scale – a full kilogram – you’re not just designing a coin. You’re creating a sculpture that happens to be round.”
The larger canvas offered something rare in the world of minting: space. Space to explore depth, texture and architectural nuance. Space to treat metal like clay.
“St. Paul’s Cathedral is an architectural masterpiece. To do it justice, I had to think like a sculptor, not just a designer.”
The result is a dramatic three-dimensional rendering of the cathedral’s dome, facade and intricate stonework – each detail carefully considered, each line intentional.
Capturing an Icon
St. Paul’s Cathedral is more than a building; it’s a symbol of resilience, creativity and national identity. Translating that into metal required deep research and an emotional connection.
“I visited the cathedral multiple times, sketchbook in hand. You can’t capture the spirit of a place from photographs alone. You need to stand beneath the dome. You need to feel its scale.”
Rudolph describes studying the play of light across the stone, the rhythm of columns, the commanding presence of the great dome rising above London’s skyline.
“What fascinated me most was the balance – strength and elegance, monumentality and detail. I wanted collectors to feel that same sense of awe when they hold the coin.”
And because this is a sculpture coin – not a flat, traditional strike – the relief brings that awe to life. The dome rises dramatically from the surface, while the foreground architectural elements create real depth and shadow.
The Challenge of Detail
Working in such high relief on a 1kg piece is both a privilege and a technical challenge.
“There’s nowhere to hide at this size. Every window, every column, every curve has to be accurate. At the same time, you have to simplify just enough so the design reads clearly in metal.”
Months of modelling, refining and collaboration with master engravers followed. Digital tools were used, but the artistic judgement remained deeply human.
“Technology helps you execute the vision, but it can’t replace the artistic eye.”
A Limited Edition Work of Art
Because this is a first-of-its-kind 1kg sculpture coin, its mintage is strictly limited. There are fewer than 1,000 pieces commissioned worldwide. And that exclusivity adds to its artistic status.
“In many ways, it’s closer to a limited edition bronze or a gallery sculpture than a circulating coin. Each one represents hours of craftsmanship.”
Collectors often speak about coins as investments or heirlooms. The artist sees something more intimate.
“When someone acquires this piece, they’re not just buying a commemorative coin. They’re investing in an artistic interpretation of St. Paul’s Cathedral – my interpretation. That’s incredibly personal.”
Holding History in Your Hands
Perhaps the most powerful aspect of the coin is its physical presence. A kilogram of metal has weight – literal and symbolic.
“When you hold it, you feel it. It has gravity. That weight reinforces the significance of the cathedral itself – its permanence, its endurance.”
Unlike artwork displayed behind glass, this piece is designed to be held, admired up close, examined from different angles. The shadows shift. The textures reveal themselves.
“I love the idea that collectors will discover new details over time. It rewards close attention.”
More Than a Collectible
So what does it mean to own this coin?
It means owning a limited edition sculpture inspired by one of Britain’s greatest landmarks. It means holding a kilogram of artistry shaped by vision, research and meticulous craftsmanship. It means possessing a first-of-its-kind piece – one that marks a milestone in modern minting.
As the artist reflects:
“If people look at it and see more than a coin – if they see it as a piece of art – then I’ve done my job.”
For collectors, historians and art lovers alike, this 1kg St. Paul’s Cathedral sculpture coin is not merely a commemorative issue. It is a specially commissioned masterpiece – created in limited numbers, and destined to be admired for generations.
Times were simpler, community spirit thrived, local pubs buzzed with life and children played freely in the traffic-free streets. Our rosy retrospection transports us to quaint village life, the timeless charm of red telephone boxes, afternoon teas and knowing your milkman by name.
Now, in collaboration with renowned jigsaw puzzle artist, Trevor Mitchell, the very best of nostalgic Britain has been interpreted through original artwork and curated to form a charming collection of memories from a bygone age.
Let’s take a closer look at some of the beautiful pieces of art in this collection…
Grandad’s Attic
Before screen-time and social media, hours of carefree enjoyment were spent tucked away in attics and spare rooms, designing model railway lines, cutting tracks and saving every penny for the newest freight wagon to adorn your perfect micro world.
Such quality time – bonding with loved ones over a shared interest, learning intricate craftsmanship and taking pride in a long-term project – has become a thing of the past. Here, Trevor captures brilliantly the joy of simplicity and the importance of time spent with family.
A Day at the Seaside
Deck chairs and donkeys, Punch and Judy and of course, ice cream. Trevor depicts the carefree frivolity of a day at the seaside, with fresh air and salty hair, before it cost an arm and a leg to take the family out for the day.
Brilliantly researched, the swimwear is a true sign of the times, dating mid-twentieth century. And I don’t know about you, but I can almost smell the sea air and hear the unbridled laughter of children without a mobile phone when I look at this painting.
Delivery from the Village Bakery
Remember the smell of warm, fresh bread delivered to your door and a chin wag with the village baker?
Embodying community spirit, this painting harks back to a time when we knew our local baker, milkman and postman by name. In a society that seems to have lost its personal touch, this one brings a real smile to my face.
The special storytelling ability of these paintings evokes a sense of having stepped into the artwork and travelled back in time. And if you could, you’d surely stay a while.
Let us know in the comments what you remember about the Good Old Days. Which design is your favourite? Do any of them take you back to your childhood?
Enjoy more: the Good Old Days Collection
Collect these and many more pieces of Trevor Mitchell’s beautiful nostalgic artwork with the limited edition Good Old Days commemorative collection.
And if you trial the collection today, you can own the very first design – the ice cream van, for just £2.99 (+p&p). No obligation to continue collecting.
A BBC poll in 2002 crowned Sir Winston Churchill the greatest Briton of all time. More than 20 years later, we asked 50,000 collectors the same thing. Let’s see who took the top spot in 2024…
10. Queen Victoria
Taking the throne at just 18 years old, Queen Victoria’s reign lasted 64 years – the second longest reign of any British monarch. Her devotion to her husband, Albert, is well documented, along with her decision to wear black for the rest of her life following his death.
Reigning through the age of great industrial expansion, Queen Victoria is associated with economic growth, empire, trade and industry. She is best known for the Great Exhibition of 1851.
9. Horatio Nelson
Regarded the greatest officer in the history of the Royal Navy, Nelson’s passion for taking risks lost him his sight in one eye, an arm, and ultimately his life at the Battle of Trafalgar, for which he is best known.
8. Diana, Princess of Wales
Once married to the now King Charles III, Princess Diana was patron or president of over 100 charities. Her most notable causes include working to reduce homelessness, spreading awareness of HIV/Aids and campaigning to ban the manufacturing and use of land mines.
Diana was also closely associated with the fashion world, renowned for her style and grace.
7. Alan Turing
‘The father of modern computing’, Turing is best known for his work for the British Intelligence Service at Bletchley Park during the Second World War, including breaking the German Enigma machine.
As a gay man, Turing was prosecuted for gross indecency in 1952. In 2013 he was posthumously pardoned by Queen Elizabeth II, and in recent years was chosen to be the face of the official British £50 note.
6. William Shakespeare
Generally accepted to be the greatest writer and dramatist of all time, Shakespeare’s plays have been immortalised through the ages, originating hundreds of words and phrases that we use in the English language today.
His most notable works include Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet, Julius Caesar, King Lear, Macbeth, Othello, the Merchant of Venice and Sonnets.
5. Charles Darwin
Darwin’s theory of natural selection forms the foundations of all modern evolutionary studies. Shocking for religious Victorian Britain, Darwin kept many of his studies private until the publication of On the Origin of Species in 1859 which has had an enormous impact on Western society and thought.
4. Isaac Newton
The inventor of calculus, Newton’s mark on the scientific world is monumental. However, his greatest contribution is the development of a universal law of gravitation and his laws of motion.
A popular myth tells of an apple falling from a tree in Newton’s garden, which brought Newton to an understanding of forces, particularly gravity.
3. Isambard Kingdom Brunel
Brunel’s lasting legacy has transformed that way we approach engineering, transport and construction. Many of Brunel’s constructions are widely recognisable – e.g. The Great Western Railway, The Clifton Suspension Bridge, and Paddington Station.
2. Queen Elizabeth II
Celebrated for her stability and continuity in an ever-changing world, Queen Elizabeth II symbolised the endurance of the British monarchy through dedication to public service and charity.
She is the longest reigning monarch in British history, and the only one to reach her Platinum Jubilee.
1. Sir Winston Churchill – the greatest Briton of all time.
Churchill is remembered as one of the great wartime leaders of the 20th century, pivotal to the Allied defeat of Nazi Germany. He also won the Nobel Prize in literature and earned great renown for his stirring speeches.
In the year that marks the 80th anniversary of the D-Day Landings, we’re reminded why Churchill’s indelible mark on British history reigns supreme and why, more than 20 years later, British devotion to Sir Winston Churchill remains steadfast, with 63% of the vote.
So, it seems Sir Winston Churchill is still considered the greatest Briton of all time. Do you agree? In your opinion is anyone missing from this list? Let us know in the comments what you think.
Learn more about these (and other) fascinating figures who’ve made a lasting impact on our great nation with the NEW Greatest Britons Collection.
