Posts Tagged ‘Rosalind Franklin’
How women have been celebrated on Royal Mint coins – International Women’s Day
International Women’s Day provides an opportunity to celebrate women’s achievement, raise awareness against bias, and take action for equality.
To mark this annual event, The Royal Mint launched a new Britannia coin, depicting three images of the Allegorical figure.
She is one of Britain’s longest-standing and most enduring feminine icons, who first appeared on coins back in the Roman era.
The new design is inspired by Gustav Klimt’s classic 1905 painting ‘The Three ages of Woman’ and features Britannia moving from girlhood to maturity.
The design, created by Italian artist and sculptor Sandra Deiana, the coin sees Britannia appear three times on one coin, a UK first!
However, this isn’t the first time we’ve seen remarkable women commemorated on a UK coin…
2022 UK Platinum Jubilee Coins
In 2022, to commemorate the Platinum Jubilee of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, The Royal Mint issued TWO new coins.
Platinum Jubilee 50p and £5 have both been designed to reflect the significance of this important anniversary.
The Platinum Jubilee 50p features a reverse design by agency Osborne Ross celebrating the Queen’s 70 years of service. But, what’s particularly special about this coin is that TWO versions have actually been created…
One includes an obverse design by John Bergdahl featuring the Queen on horseback – reminiscent of Her Majesty’s very first Coronation Crown – and the other includes Jody Clark’s obverse of the Queen’s portrait.
Not only do we see this difference on the new 50p coin, but the obverse design has also been replicated on the Platinum Jubilee £5 coin, along with a reverse design by John Bergdahl featuring the Queen’s garter robes.
This coin was so popular that the ENTIRE limited edition range sold-out completely at The Royal Mint within a day.
Browse the Platinum Jubilee coin range on our website by clicking here!
2020 UK Rosalind Franklin 50p
Rosalind Franklin is one of Britain’s best scientific minds. Without her ground-breaking research we would not understand the complexities of DNA as we do today.
To mark the 100th anniversary of her birth, and to celebrate her legacy, The Royal Mint authorised for a UK 50p to be issued – the second coin in the Innovation in Science series.
It features a striking design by David Knapton, that puts Rosalind Franklin at the heart of the DNA story.
It depicts the infamous Photograph 51 that led Franklin to her discovery that DNA has a double helix structure – the same picture that was used by Watson and Crick, robbing Franklin of the accolades that were rightly hers.
Browse our Rosalind Franklin coin range here!
2022 Dame Vera Lynn £2
Known for boosting the morale of the troops and the nation throughout the Second World War, Vera Lynn was voted the ‘Forces Sweetheart’.
Later after the war, in 1975, she was awarded Dame Commander of the British Empire as recognition for her dedication to charity work.
This stunning £2 BU Pack has been issued by The Royal Mint to celebrate the life and the legacy of Dame Vera Lynn.
As one of Britain’s most iconic entertainers, she captured the hearts of thousands as she sang to the nation during a time of turmoil.
To avoid missing out on this 2022 issue commemorating one of Britain’s most beloved entertainers and war-time figures, make sure to secure yours now by clicking here.
Of course, these are just a handful of UK coins which have been issued to commemorate influential women. Who would you like to see commemorated on a UK coin? Let us know in the comments below!
Britain through the reign of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II: Part 1
The Land of Hope and Glory Collection tells the story of Britain through the reign of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.
Over 85% of the population have only ever known Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II as the monarch of the United Kingdom. And the Queen is so synonymous with Great Britain that it’s easy to forget that she wasn’t supposed to become queen at all…
The daughter of King George V’s second son, Princess Elizabeth of York, had little expectation of succeeding the throne until her uncle, King Edward VIII, abdicated in 1936.
As Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee fast approaches, this blog series will revisit the historic moments during Her Majesty’s record-breaking reign that have helped define Great Britain. Let me take you back to where it all began…
The Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II
Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II acceded to the throne on 6th February 1952 upon the passing of her father, King George VI, at the age of 25. And on the 2nd June 1953, over 27 million people watched the official coronation at Westminster Abbey in London, which, for the first (and so far only) time, was fully televised.
This ground-breaking moment marked the official start of an even more ground-breaking reign…
The Mini is Unveiled
One of the world’s most recognisable cars, the first Mini was unveiled on the 26th August 1959. The British Motor Corporation developed the Mini out of Great Britain’s need for a more fuel-efficient car.
Originally marketed as both the Austin Seven and Morris Mini-Minor, the car became an instant success and the design’s front-wheel drive and transverse engine layout influenced a generation of car makers.
Perhaps you owned or own one of these infamous cars? Let us know in the comments!
The Unravelling of DNA
The 1950s saw some major developments in the unravelling of DNA by British scientists. Rosalind Franklin took “Photo 51”, a highly detailed image of the hydrated ‘B’ form of DNA on 6th May 1952.
This photograph would help James Watson and Francis Crick’s work, and on 28th February 1953, the pair proposed a double helix model for the structure of DNA.
Donald Campbell Breaks the Water Speed Record
The legendary Donald Campbell began his speed record attempts in the summer of 1949 using his father’s old boat, the Bluebird K4.
His father, Malcolm Campbell, had previously held the Water Speed Record and after Donald’s first attempts were unsuccessful, the Bluebird K4 was modified to make it a “prop-rider”.
On the 23rd July 1955, he broke the Water Speed Record with a speed of 202.32 mph! And as if that wasn’t enough, Donald Campbell would go on the break the Water Speed Record on six different occasions before going for “the double” and breaking the Land Speed Record in 1964!
Mount Everest is Conquered
On 29th May 1953, Edmund Hillary and Sherpa Tenzing Norgay became the first explorers to reach the summit of Mount Everest, which standing at 29,035 feet above sea level is the highest point on earth.
News of the conquest of Mount Everest did not reach the outside world until 2nd June 1953, the eve of the Queen’s coronation and Britons hailed it as a good omen for the future of the country.
If you’re interested…
The Land of Hope and Glory Collection celebrates Britain through the reign of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. And today, you can start the Collection of a Lifetime. Click here to secure the Coronation Medal for FREE >>
My top July releases revealed…
From Peter Pan to Rosalind Franklin and even Elton John, July was an incredibly busy month for collectors as it was bursting with new releases. Watch our latest video to see Adam’s countdown of the top releases of the month.
If you’re interested…
Click here to add these must have coins to your collection today >>