Like many other mints, the Royal Mint issues bullion coins in precious metals, having much higher intrinsic value than their face value. The five ounces (5 oz) gold coins are denominated as either ten pounds (£10) or five hundred pounds (£500).
The coins are legal tender but are not intended for circulation. They are targeted at bullion investors or collectors who appreciate the special editions as pieces of art. The coins are typically "one-year" types usually issued in parallel with smaller denominations with the same reverse designs.
This commemorative five-ounce gold coin denominated as £10 was issued as part of a six-coin series of coins commemorating the Centenary of the First World War; it is called Poetry and Language, acknowledging the many stories of war.
David Lawrence has embodied poetry, a broad and intangible concept, with a simple and familiar image: a line of marching men. The coin’s edge lettering, "THE TRUTH UNTOLD, THE PITY OF WAR", is taken from Wilfred Owen’s poem "Strange Meeting", one of his most famous works. |