Royal Mint issues limited edition John Lennon £5 coin

John Lennon has been immortalised on a limited edition coin by the Royal Mint in the United Kingdom, after being named as the winner of a public vote.

The commemorative £5 coin is on sale for £44.99, and is the latest in the Royal Mint’s Great Britons series. Only 5,000 of the coins will be made, and are issued as Alderney tender. A one-off 24-carat gold version of the coin will also be given to the John Lennon Estate.

Lennon won by a landslide, with 27,874 of the 30,267 votes cast – 92% – nominating him. He came ahead of Jane Austin, Emmeline Pankhurst, John Logie Baird, Douglas Bader and Sir Walter Raleigh, following fan campaigns on Facebook and Twitter.

The singer joins William Shakespeare, Sir Winston Churchill, Charles Darwin and Florence Nightingale in the Great Britons series.

It is a pleasure to reveal that, in a recent Royal Mint vote, John Lennon was chosen to appear on the latest Great Britons £5 coin.

Inspiring, controversial, passionate and complex. He is, without doubt, one of the great musical giants of the twentieth century. He left a legacy that goes far beyond the global reach of his music. His powerful message of peace and love which manifests through his artistic talent continues to uplift and inspire us.

An instantly recognisable portrait of John Lennon features on the reverse with the cameo inset bearing the strings of his guitar.

Struck in sterling silver to Proof quality, the coin comes in a splendid display case complete with a Certificate of Authenticity guaranteeing the specifications of the coin and paying tribute to the genius of John Lennon.

Country of issue: Alderney

The Royal Mint is also issuing a £5 coin to mark the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, bearing the phrase “All you need is love”. The title of The Beatles’ 1967 single is featured alongside an image of Cornelia Parker’s sculpture Breathless, and represents the British music industry.

The 18 sterling silver Proof coins, in a limited edition of 95,000, are for sale from the Mint for £59.99.