Elton John calls UK Royal Mint's commemorative coin 'a fabulous honor', rarest one valued at $86k
Beloved pop star Sir Elton John has now been honored with his very own commemorative coin by the Royal Mint of the United Kingdom. This accolade is a tribute to the 73-year-old singer's lifelong contributions to the fields of music, human rights and philanthropy, and comes in the form of a £1,000 gold coin (among other denominations) that bear the iconic artist's likeness.
The Royal Mint announced the new design as the second installment of their British “Music Legends” collection, with the first honorees being the rock band Queen back in January this year. Speaking about the honor, Elton said in a press release, "It really is a fabulous honor to be recognized in this way." The singer also added, "The last few years have contained some of the most memorable moments of my career, and this is another truly humbling milestone on my journey." You can check out the new coin's design by clicking here.
"Elton John is without a doubt a British music legend and is recognized as one of the most successful singer-songwriters of his generation," the Royal Mint's Clare Maclennan said. "We are delighted to honor Elton's significant contribution to British music on a UK coin," she added.
These commemorative coins can be bought by the public in gold proof, silver proof and brilliant uncirculated editions, with denominations that range from £1, £2, £5, £25, £100, to £1,000. The £5 coin will sell for £13 while the one-kilo gold proof coin, which has a face value of £1,000, is actually priced at £68,865 ($86,077 approximately). It has also been reported that a one-off coin will be auctioned later to raise money for the Elton John Charitable Trust.
The new creation, which depicts the legendary singer via the clever use of musical notes as Elton's glasses, along with his trademark straw boater hat and bowtie, was an innovative workaround design by the Norwich-based artist Bradley Morgan Johnson, who also used the British Union Jack as the background for the commemorative piece. The reason for it being a workaround design is because tradition dictates that a living person's portrait or likeness cannot appear on a British coin, apart from the reigning monarch, the Queen and other members of the Royal Family.
Speaking about incorporating a Union Jack into his new design, Johnson explained, "Elton's British musical legacy along with the theme of the (Music Legends) coin series were the main reasons for graphically representing the British flag," he said. He also stated that he was proud of the finished product and felt it would be a fitting addition to the Royal Mint's Music Legends series. "I am sure, given the artists they commemorate, (the Music Legends coin series) will be received well," he said, before adding, "Winning the design competition for a coin made by The Royal Mint has been a highlight of my rollercoaster career."