HomeWorld CoinsRoyal Mint Launches Final Coin in Tower of London Collection

Royal Mint Launches Final Coin in Tower of London Collection

  • The collection features four coins with the latest featuring the Ceremony of the Keys
  • The coin features a special Tower mint mark – the first time this has appeared on an official UK coin collection

By The Royal Mint ……
On August 6, The Royal Mint launched the final coin in the 2019-dated Tower of London CollectionThe Ceremony of the Keys. Following on from the Yeoman Warders, the Ceremony of the Keys coin continues the epic story of one of Britain’s most iconic heritage sites, celebrating a ritual that has taken place since 1340, during Edward III’s reign.

At exactly seven minutes to 10 each night the Chief Yeoman Warder, dressed in his iconic red Watch Coat and Tudor Bonnet, emerges from the Byward Tower carrying a lantern and The Queen’s Keys. He makes his way to the archway of the Bloody Tower where an escort of soldiers from the military garrison awaits him.

They proceed to the outer gates of the Tower where the Chief and the Tower’s Watchman secure the outer and inner gates. As the clock strikes 10, the Chief takes two steps forward, raises his bonnet into the air and says ‘God preserve Queen Elizabeth’, the guard answers ‘Amen’ and the soldier representing the drummer plays ‘The Last Post’ on a bugle. The keys are then returned to The Queen’s House and the guard is dismissed; the Tower is secure for the evening.

Nicola Howell, Director of the Consumer Business at The Royal Mint commented:

“The Ceremony of the Keys is a centuries-old ritual that takes place every evening at the Tower and we are delighted to be marking this tradition on a coin. The coin’s design features the keys and lamp to represent the symbolic and practical elements of the ceremony as well as also featuring a special Tower mint mark that represents the relationship between the Tower of London and The Royal Mint.”

Emma Saunders, Head of Retail Business Development at Historic Royal Palaces commented:

“We are delighted with the Ceremony of the Keys coin, the final release in this Tower of London series. The stunning design perfectly honors one of the Tower’s most unique and historic ceremonies.”

The reverse design of each coin in the collection shows a section of the ancient walls and also features a special Tower mint mark, which is the first time this has appeared on a UK coin collection and is a sign of authenticity and trust. This depicts the White Tower, demonstrating the link between the Tower of London and The Royal Mint, which operated within the fortress for centuries.

The Tower of London collection, including The Legend of the Ravens, The Crown Jewels, The Yeoman Warders and finally The Ceremony of the Keys commemorative coins are available to purchase from www.royalmint.com in a range of precious metal and base proof finishes, prices start from £13.

The Royal Mint
The Royal Minthttps://www.royalmint.com/
The Royal Mint has an unbroken history of minting British coinage dating back over 1,100 years. Based in the Tower of London for over 500 years, by 1812 the Mint had moved out of the Tower to premises on Tower Hill in London. In 1967, the building of a new Royal Mint began on its current site in South Wales, UK, to accommodate the minting of UK decimal coinage. Today, the Mint is the world’s largest export mint, supplying coins to the UK and overseas countries.

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