The British twenty pound (£20) coin is a commemorative denomination of sterling coinage, first issued by the Royal Mint in 2013.[1] It is minted in .999 fine silver.[2] Twenty pound coins are legal tender[3] but are intended as souvenirs and are almost never seen in general circulation.
United Kingdom | |
| Value | £20 |
|---|---|
| Mass | 15.71 g |
| Diameter | approx 27 mm |
| Edge | Milled |
| Composition | .999 fine silver |
| Years of minting | 2013-present |
| Obverse | |
 | |
| Design | Queen Elizabeth II |
| Designer | Ian Rank-Broadley |
| Design date | 1998 |
| Reverse | |
 | |
| Design | No standard reverse design; |
Design
editThe designs which have appeared on the twenty pound coin's reverse are summarised in the table below.
Welsh Dragon £20
editFrom 2016 to 2020 the Royal Mint produced a Welsh Dragon £20 on a backdrop of the visitor centre at the Royal Mint Experience. Some of these years have been accompanied by the same coin on a backdrop of the Welsh flag. The visitor centre coin could only be purchased at the shop.[4]
| Year | Event | Design[5] | Edge Inscription | Designer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | - | Saint George and the Dragon | Milled | Benedetto Pistrucci |
| 2014 | The 100th anniversary of the outbreak of the First World War | Britannia and a lion on the left-hand side with warships in the background. An inscription above and to the right reads THE FIRST WORLD WAR, and below and to the left of that the dates 1914-1918 | John Bergdahl | |
| 2015 | The 50th anniversary of Sir Winston Churchill's death | Winston Churchill | Etienne Millner | |
| The Longest Reigning Monarch | The five portraits of Queen Elizabeth II to appear on British coinage above the words "EIIR The Longest Reign" | Stephen Taylor | ||
| 2016 | 90th Birthday of Queen Elizabeth II | The royal cypher wreathed and crowned, all surrounded by roses | Christopher Hobbs | |
| Welsh Dragon Celebration | The Welsh dragon | Norman Sillman | ||
| Christmas | The nativity | Gregory Cameron | ||
| 2017 | Platinum Wedding Anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip | Equestrian portrait of the Queen and Prince Philip | John Bergdahl | |
| 2019 | Welsh Dragon Celebration | The Welsh dragon | Norman Sillman |
Legal tender status
editThe prolific issuance since 2013 of silver commemorative £20, £50 and £100 coins at face value has led to attempts to spend or deposit these coins,[2] prompting the Royal Mint to clarify the legal tender status of these silver coins.[6] [7] Royal Mint guidelines advise that they are considered to be limited edition collectables not intended for general circulation.
References
edit- ^ Royal Mint creates first £20 coin, The Daily Telegraph, 5 September 2013
- ^ a b "£20 coin on its way - but expert says it's only worth £8". The Guardian. 5 September 2013.
- ^ "Are £20 coins legal tender?". Royal Mint. 9 April 2014. Archived from the original on 12 April 2014.
- ^ "The Royal Mint announces Welsh Dragon Silver £20 coin". Royal Mint.
- ^ Five Pound Coin Designs and Specifications, Royal Mint
- ^ "Legal Tender Guidelines | the Royal Mint".
- ^ "How the Royal Mint is Attempting to Redefine "Legal Tender" for Collector Coins". 27 March 2016.
