Five Pounds 2025 Music Legends - John Lennon, Coin from United Kingdom - detailed information

At the time of decimalisation in 1971, the United Kingdom Crown coin (equal to 5 shillings) was redenominated as a 25p coin and pieces struck prior to 1990 - all the way back to 1818 - continue to be legal tender for that amount. The old denomination had been a regular circulating coin in the 19th century, but in the 20th century it became more of a commemorative denomination.

The Royal Mint continued issuing commemorative coins in the same format - using the traditional coin dimensions, but in copper-nickel. These were initially also denominated as 25 pence but the "Crown" was changed in 1990 to a commemorative £5 (five pound) coin, having the same dimensions and weight but with a face value twenty times as great.

The denomination is used to mark special occasions, usually royal in theme, rather than for use in general circulation. Although not circulating, these coins are legal tender.

This commemorative £5 Crown-sized coin celebrating British artist John Lennon is part of the tenth release in the Music Legends coin series by the Royal Mint.

The mint says about it:
The new coin celebrating Lennon’s life and record-breaking career as an artist coincides with the year in which he would have celebrated his 85th birthday. The coin’s design features a portrait of John Lennon and is based on an image taken by Bob Gruen - one of the most respected photographers in the music industry. It depicts a side profile shot of Lennon, taken on the roof of his penthouse in New York City.

Experienced coin designer Henry Gray incorporated the portrait of Lennon to feature at the centre of the coins design. John Lennon’s name appears to the left of the portrait, while the word "Imagine" features on the right side of the design - a special nod to the artist’s single and album.

As a founder of The Beatles and also a solo artist, Lennon has won seven Grammy Awards, including two Lifetime Achievement Awards, Five BRIT Awards including two Special Awards for Outstanding Contribution to Music, 21 NME Awards, 15 Ivor Novellos and an Oscar (Academy Award). He has been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Songwriter’s Hall of Fame, and has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. In 2008, Rolling Stone ranked Lennon in the Top 5 of the magazine’s “100 Greatest Singers Of All Time”.