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A special commemorative coin has been created to mark the 100th anniversary of the ceremonial burial of the Unknown Warrior.
The Royal Mint, in collaboration with the Imperial War Museum, has issued the coin as part of this year’s Remembrance Day commemorations on November 11.
One side of the coin features the silhouette of the Unknown Warrior, surrounded by poppies that have been digitally printed in red.
The poppies have also been designed to stack up on one another, making them appear 3D.
Natasha Preece, coin designer at the Royal Mint, said of her design: “I wanted to create something unique and different to commemorate 100 years since the ceremonial burial of the Unknown Warrior.
“I knew from the start that it should incorporate a silhouette of a soldier to represent all the soldiers who had fallen in the line of duty.
“I felt that the coin should feature the common poppy as a prominent part of the design due to its strong association with the First World War, and symbolism of those that died during the conflict.”
The Royal Mint has been marking milestone moments in history for more than 1,000 years.
A ceremonial burial of an anonymous hero took place at Westminster Abbey on November 11 1920 in honour of all those who lost their lives in the First World War.
The Unnamed Warrior represents all the soldiers who made the journey to the front lines and never returned.
Many parades and ceremonies to mark Remembrance Sunday this year have been cancelled due to the coronavirus crisis.
Clare Maclennan, divisional director of the Commemorative Coin Division at the Royal Mint said, “We have been commemorating historical moments in history on UK coins for a millennium, and each year we create a poignant design to commemorate Remembrance Day and those who gave their lives.
“This year’s coin pays tribute to the Unknown Warrior, the unidentifiable soldier that represents around one million servicemen and women who lost their lives as a result of the First World War.
“The Royal Mint’s Remembrance Day commemorative coin is a poignant reminder of the brave men and women in our armed forces – past and present.”
The coin, which is a £5 denomination, is for commemorative purposes only and will not be released into general circulation.
Prices range from £17 to £182.50 and a full set of commemorative historic coins to mark the centenary is also available for £280 here.
