The Royal Mint Museum

The Royal Mint Museum As guardians of the history of the official maker of UK coins, we bring to life over a thousand years of making money. The Royal Mint Museum

Our collections tell stories of global history, art, politics, technology, industry and, above all, people.

In 2003, artist Tom Phillips RA designed his first coin to mark the 50th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II’s Coronation....
03/06/2026

In 2003, artist Tom Phillips RA designed his first coin to mark the 50th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II’s Coronation.

Known for his inventive use of language and imagery, Phillips created a celebratory reverse reading God Save the Queen. He later designed the 2005 fifty pence commemorating Samuel Johnson’s dictionary, cleverly using definitions of fifty and pence to form the design.

Phillips, a true polymath, went on to create coins for the London 2012 Olympics, William Shakespeare and Benjamin Britten. His contribution to British coinage reflects a unique artistic legacy.

The Museum collection contains many objects that reflect the social life of the Mint itself. This silver medal, awarded ...
02/06/2026

The Museum collection contains many objects that reflect the social life of the Mint itself. This silver medal, awarded to members of the Mint Swimming Club, features the White Tower of the Tower of London and a simple wreath with inscription.

It was won in 1909 by George Orchard, who joined the Mint in 1892 and served for over forty years. Though modest, the medal offers insight into staff activities and the continued symbolic use of the White Tower long after the Mint left its historic home.

You can find out more about the royalmintuk Swimming Club on our YouTube channel:

https://bit.ly/4dS5jh3

Coins and notes often carry powerful national symbols, which can make them targets during times of conflict. As far back...
01/06/2026

Coins and notes often carry powerful national symbols, which can make them targets during times of conflict. As far back as the reign of King Stephen (1135–54), supporters of his rival, Matilda, altered his coins to produce their own versions.

More recently, during the Troubles in Northern Ireland, both Republican and Unionist groups used currency as a form of political expression.

Some supporters of the Irish Republican Army added IRA to British coins, while Unionists marked Irish coins with UVF and dates such as 1690, referencing the Battle of the Boyne.

The Royal Mint Museum continues a long tradition of publishing books that explore the history of British coinage.Titles ...
31/05/2026

The Royal Mint Museum continues a long tradition of publishing books that explore the history of British coinage.

Titles cover subjects such as the sovereign, Britannia, and the 1,110-year story of the Mint, with well-illustrated volumes designed for both experienced collectors and those new to the subject.

This publishing tradition began in 1951 at the Festival of Britain, when Harry Stride’s short history of the Mint, which proved so popular that it was revised and reissued for the next 25 years.

Discover our publications here: https://bit.ly/4dFDh8l

Can you tell what the lion and unicorn are doing on this medal?This piece from the Royal Mint collection celebrates the ...
30/05/2026

Can you tell what the lion and unicorn are doing on this medal?

This piece from the Royal Mint collection celebrates the Royal Mint Advisory Committee, which has helped shape the design of coins, medals, seals and decorations since 1922.

Created in 1992 by designer John Lobban to mark the committee’s 200th meeting and 70th anniversary, the medal shows the lion and unicorn reimagined as coin designers, in their studio with a coining press in the background.

It is a playful but fitting tribute to a committee that has shaped the face of British currency for over a century.

This bronze portrait relief shows Francis Derwent Wood, an important figure in the early years of the Royal Mint Advisor...
29/05/2026

This bronze portrait relief shows Francis Derwent Wood, an important figure in the early years of the Royal Mint Advisory Committee, established in 1922 to improve the quality of coin and medal design in Britain.

As Professor of Sculpture at the Royal College of Art, he encouraged young artists to engage with coin design and contributed his own work to the redesign of silver coinage in the 1920s, resulting in a number of pattern pieces featuring a rose and a thistle.

The relief itself was the work of the artist Madge Kitchener, known as the originator of the thrift design on the twelve-sided threepence first prepared for Edward VIII. While their exact connection is unclear, both had links to Ashtead in Surrey, where Kitchener ran a gallery and Wood was closely associated.

The Royal Mint Museum holds a remarkable set of medallic portraits of seven children of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert...
28/05/2026

The Royal Mint Museum holds a remarkable set of medallic portraits of seven children of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, crafted in 1850 by Leonard Wyon.

Born in the Royal Mint in 1826, Wyon was the son of Chief Engraver William Wyon and maintained a lifelong connection with the Mint.

Though not officially commissioned, these portraits survive as bronze impressions and dies, including reverse dies naming each child and their birth date. Their exact origin story remains a mystery.

For World Otter Day, we're sharing this Cook Islands five dollars coin from the Endangered Wildlife series. It depicts t...
27/05/2026

For World Otter Day, we're sharing this Cook Islands five dollars coin from the Endangered Wildlife series. It depicts two otters, one standing, the other resting on some rocks.

Can you think of any other coins with otters on them? Do you have any in your collection?

The process for approving new UK coins has long involved the Royal Mint Advisory Committee, the Chancellor of the Excheq...
26/05/2026

The process for approving new UK coins has long involved the Royal Mint Advisory Committee, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, and final royal approval.

Throughout her reign, Queen Elizabeth II personally reviewed and approved all new coin designs, including those marking significant royal anniversaries. In 2002, for her Golden Jubilee, sculptor Ian Rank-Broadley created an equestrian portrait for the obverse of the commemorative coin.

Upon review, the Queen herself requested a subtle but meaningful change: that the outline of her legs be visible through the cloak, reflecting her lifelong experience of riding side-saddle. This detail was added, resulting in a refined and dignified tribute.

Did you know that a hidden code may be concealed in this 1917 Egyptian coin?Struck by the Royal Mint, this 10 piastres c...
25/05/2026

Did you know that a hidden code may be concealed in this 1917 Egyptian coin?

Struck by the Royal Mint, this 10 piastres coin features tiny indentations within its beaded border. These marks follow a precise mathematical sequence and are thought to have been added as a subtle anti-counterfeiting measure.

Can you spot them?

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The Royal Mint Museum
Llantrisant
CF728YT

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+44 (0) 1443 623004

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