Gold Kilo 2020 Music Legends - David Bowie, Coin from United Kingdom - detailed information

Like many other mints, the Royal Mint issues bullion coins in precious metals, having much higher intrinsic value than their face value. Most of these by tradition are measured in troy ounces of fractions thereof, but the mint also introduced metric coins measuring one kilogram of pure metal (they are actually fractionally heavier as a whole, to account for the small amount of other metal in the alloy).

The 1 kg gold coins are denominated as One Thousand Pounds (£1,000), although their intrinsic (bullion) value is much higher than their face value. The coins vary in design depending on the occasion (they are "one-year" types usually issued in parallel with smaller denominations with the same reverse designs).

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.

This commemorative gold kilogram coin celebrating David Bowie is the third in the Music Legends coin series by the Royal Mint (after the first dedicated to Queen and the second dedicated to Sir Elton John).

Born in Brixton, South London, in 1947, David Bowie began life as David Robert Jones. By the time he was 19 he had taken on his iconic name and was taking the first steps in one of the most innovative and influential careers in the history of sound and vision. His music electrified generations, and his perpetual state of reinvention kept music fans enthralled.

The Royal Mint says:
"The third coin in our Music Legends collection celebrates rock’s definitive chameleon with a design inspired by an image of the singer from his time spent living and recording in Berlin. The inclusion of the lightning bolt motif from the Aladdin Sane era captures Bowie’s career journey, and the moment he finally put aside the props to emerge as an artist in his own right."

Jody Clark's reverse celebrates rock’s definitive chameleon with a design inspired by an image of the singer from his time spent living and recording in Berlin. The inclusion of the lightning bolt motif from the Aladdin Sane era captures Bowie’s career journey, and the moment he finally put aside the props to emerge as an artist in his own right.