Like many other mints, the Royal Mint issues bullion coins in precious metals, having much higher intrinsic value than their face value. The one ounce (1 oz) gold coins are denominated as One Hundred Pounds (£100).
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 one-ounce gold bullion coin celebrating The Rolling Stones is the fifth in the Music Legends coin series by the Royal Mint; earlier coins commemorated Queen, Sir Elton John, David Bowie and The Who.
The mint says: Formed in London in 1962, The Rolling Stones are considered by many to be one of the greatest rock bands of all time, and with good reason. With a career spanning seven decades, the iconic group has gone from strength to strength with a list of hits that includes eight UK number one singles and 13 UK number one albums, as well as countless hits internationally.
By the close of 1962, after trialling a revolving door of musicians, the classic line-up of The Rolling Stones was assembled - Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Brian Jones, Bill Wyman and Charlie Watts - and with that, the band was ready to take the world by storm. Following Jones’ death, the new decade presented a new start for the band who, with the aid of Jones’ replacement Mick Taylor, embarked on another incredible run of success that would rival the heights they had achieved the decade before. Taylor’s run proved relatively short and Ronnie Wood replaced him in 1974. Seven top ten singles and four number one albums in the United Kingdom cemented their status as ‘The Greatest Rock ‘n’ Roll Band in the World’, a nickname they had grown into comfortably over the course of the decade. Long-serving bassist Bill Wyman departed the band in 1993, leaving the band without a bass player for the first time. The remaining band members decided not to replace Wyman and instead continued as a four-piece, with Darryl Jones filling in on bass duties for the forthcoming Voodoo Lounge album in 1994.
Sadly, the band lost their long-standing drummer Charlie Watts in 2021, leaving The Rolling Stones to continue as a three-piece, with Mick Jagger, Keith Richards and Ronnie Wood remaining as the only official members of the band. Nevertheless, they remain a force to reckon with in the music industry, boasting a cross-generational appeal unlike any other. The Rolling Stones have been a mainstay of the UK music charts since 1963 and look set to continue that trend for as long as time will allow. With 60 years behind them, we proudly celebrate The Rolling Stones’ incredible legacy with a UK coin dedicated to these true music legends. |
Reverse | |
The reverse design of the coin "captures the band in their element, mid-performance"; they are depicted as silhouettes on a stage under rays of stage lighting, with a crowd below. Above, the The Rolling Stones logo in the classic 1973 font, coloured red.
Below right, the designer's initials H.P (for Hannah Phizacklea).
In the exergue, the anniversary dates '62 - '22 (1962 - 2022).
Repeated many times in tiny letters around the rim of the coin, 1 OZ FINE GOLD 999.9 2022.
The face value is on the obverse. |
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