Royal Mint designed 60p coin for the Queen's Diamond Jubilee

Royal Mint documents described a six-sided bi-colour coin with round of nickel-brass and a shaped outer of cupro-nickel

Hazel Sheffield
Thursday 31 December 2015 13:55 GMT
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The Press Association uncovered the proposals after it sent a Freedom of Information Request to the Royal Mint
The Press Association uncovered the proposals after it sent a Freedom of Information Request to the Royal Mint

The Royal Mint designed a 60p coin for the Queen's Diamond Jubilee, according to documents released after a Freedom of Information Requests.

A six-sided 60p coin was proposed for the 60th anniversary of the Queen by the Royal Mint Advisory Committee. Kevin Clancy, secretary to the Royal Mint Advisory Committee wrote to the Master of the Mint, George Osborne, under the subject "additional United Kingdom coins for the Diamond Jubilee" in February 24, 2011.

The Royal Mint said it was concerned that such an event of huge national importance was commemorated with with more than one type of coin. It said that the Treasury did not object to the proposals.

The document states: “It is recommended that an entirely new denomination coin - a 60p piece - should be produced to commemorate the 60 years of Her Majesty's reign.

The Press Association uncovered the proposals after it sent a Freedom of Information Request to the Royal Mint requesting to see old coin designs.

The documents it received described a six-sided bi-colour coin with round of nickel-brass and a shaped outer of cupro-nickel. The Royal Mint did not supply a picture of the design, however.

“A coin of this shape and denomination has never been issued before. Research has been conducted amongst consumers with a majority expressing a preference for the issue of such a coin," the document said.

Gerry Buddle, a specialist at the London Numismatic Club, said he suspected the coin had been dropped because it was "too gimmicky".

“I think the idea of a 60p coin was actually quite imaginative for the Royal Mint, who are usually very conservative about their approach to our currency.

"That was probably why the idea was finally dropped - I suspect the senior staff at the Mint felt it was too gimmicky," Buddle said.

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