One of the late Queen’s last acts as Monarch was to authorise the issuance of a £2 coin to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Flying Scotsman, and the coin is being released today.
(c) The Royal Mint
The Queen was involved as the collectable coin being released by the Royal Mint today is legal tender — in the very narrow sense that legal tender only applies to settling debts (and no, Scottish bank notes are not legal tender). So you could technically use the Flying Scotsman coins as legal tender, although it would be daft to do so, as the collectable coins will cost more than £2 to buy.
The legal notice authorising the coin was published in the London Gazette last June.
This Flying Scotsman £2 coin features a crafted reverse design by the coinage artist John Bergdahl. Featuring the inscription ‘LNER.’ followed by ‘4472’, Flying Scotsman’s second service number, as well as the date of the locomotive’s special anniversary, the design captures a side-on view of the locomotive as it steams ahead on one of its many rail journeys.
The edge inscription reads ‘LIVE FOR THE JOURNEY’.
The design of the coin is also in colour – the first time for colour to appear on a £2 coin in over 20 years.
The Flying Scotsman £2 coin is available to purchase from The Royal Mint’s website from today.
To capture the essence and familiarity of the Flying Scotsman, The Royal Mint’s design team worked closely with experienced coin designer John Bergdahl. Combining traditional engraving and minting techniques with innovative technology, Royal Mint Engraver, Kerry Davies, ensured John’s original design, which was created on a plaster model, was translated appropriately to appear on the £2 coin. This was completed by using optical scanners to convert John’s design from a 25cm diameter plaster model to a 3D digital file. Following this process, Royal Mint Engraver Kerry was then able to refine and delicately translate the design to feature onto a £2 coin, 28.40mm in size, without losing any of the detail or fineness of John’s design.
Working with the curatorial team at the National Railway Museum, The Royal Mint’s design team based the green colour that’s been chosen was based on several images of the locomotive over the years.
Judith McNicol, Director of the National Railway Museum, said: “Flying Scotsman’s centenary is an opportunity for people to come together to celebrate and share their memories of this special locomotive. The National Railway Museum has organised a programme of events and activities to mark the centenary and featuring on the new coin is a real honour and a wonderful way to mark the occasion.”
The Flying Scotsman £2 coin is available to purchase from The Royal Mint’s website from today.
