Posts Tagged ‘First World War’

On the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month in 1918, the guns fell silent – the war in Europe was over.

2018 marked 100 years since this pivotal moment, and to mark the centenary year, many of the allied nations joined forces again to issue special commemorative coins. Let’s take a look at some of the coins released from around the world, including Canada, New Zealand, Australia, France and of course the UK.

2018 UK Armistice £2

This £2 was the final coin in the First World War £2 series, first issued by The Royal Mint in 2014. The design, by Stephen Raw, features the words ‘The truth untold, the pity of war’, from the Wilfred Owen poem Strange Meeting. The words stand out of a mud-like background in the centre of this striking £2 coin, which was actually modelled in the clay taken by the artist from the Sambre-Oise Canal, where Wilfred Owen died in 1918.

2018 UK Remembrance £5

To honour the sacrifices of all those who have risked and continue to risk their lives to protect our freedom, this UK £5 coin was issued by The Royal Mint in 2018. The coin features a design by Laura Clancy on the reverse symbolic of the resilient and determined poppies that grew amidst the chaos in the valley of the Somme and colour printing to highlight the vibrant red in the poppy design. This coin stands as a poignant reminder of the brave men and women who have lost their lives or have been injured in conflicts past and present.

Isle of Man First World War Centenary 50p

This 50p was chosen by the Isle of Man Government to commemorate the First World War Armistice Centenary. As a special acknowledgement to the sacrifices made by the 1,165 Manx men who lost their lives in the war, a specially minted coin featuring distinctive red poppies was presented to each child in full time education on the Isle of Man. Cupro-Nickel versions of the coin without the red poppies went into general circulation. The coin features ‘The Manxman’ from the top of the Douglas War Memorial, the words ‘Their name liveth for evermore’ and the Roman numerals ‘XI.XI.XI’ meaning 11.11.11.

2018 Canada Armistice $2

In October 2018, The Royal Canadian Mint unveiled these finely crafted $2 coins, issued to remember the sacrifices of Canadians who fought for freedom during WWI.

Just 3 million coins were minted – two million of a stunning coloured version and one million of the non-coloured coin – both of which were released into circulation in Canada. The reverse image by artist Laurie McGaw features a soldier’s helmet in the centre to represent the many lives lost during WWI, and the large poppy beneath it is inspired by the Canadian poem In Flanders Fields by John McCrae, who died in combat in January 1918.

2018 US World War 1 Centennial Dollar

More than 4 million men and women from the United States served in the First World War and so to commemorate the centenary and honour the American soldiers, this Proof Silver Dollar was issued. The obverse design is titled “Soldier’s Charge” and depicts a soldier gripping his rifle, with the words, “LIBERTY,” “1918,” and “IN GOD WE TRUST.” The reverse design is titled “Poppies in the Wire,” featuring poppies mixed amongst brutal barbed wiring. 

2018 New Zealand Armistice 50 Cent

The 2018 New Zealand Armistice 50 cent coin followed the Anzac coin, which was minted in 2015 to mark the centenary of New Zealand’s efforts in WW1. Designed by Dave Burke, the reverse of this 50 Cent features a coloured red poppy flower surrounded by a wreath, and the three silver ferns on the wreath represent the three services of the New Zealand Defence Force – Army, Navy and Air Force. The 50-cent coins were released into circulation in New Zealand in October 2018, but were actually struck by The Royal Canadian Mint, where all 10, 20 and 50 cent coins were minted for New Zealand in 2018.

2018 Australia Armistice $2

The Royal Australian Mint issued this $2 Armistice coin to serve as a tangible and visible reminder to all Australians of the fight for freedom during WWI. Designed by T Dean and developed with the assistance of the Australian War Memorial, the coin features the number 100 to signify the important Armistice Centenary Anniversary, and the centre zero features a red coloured poppy. The coin features a ‘C’ mintmark, meaning the it was struck at the Canberra Mint.

2018 France Armistice €2

Issued by La Monnaie de Paris (The Paris Mint), this €2 coin features a cornflower, a symbol of remembrance in France. This dates back to WWI as soldier’s uniforms were blue and these flowers, as well as poppies, continued to grow in land devastated by war. The flower also symbolizes delicacy and innocence.

2018 Hungary HUF 2,000

 

The Magyar Nemzeti Bank in Hungary paid homage to the heroic efforts and the sacrifice made by Hungarian soldiers by issuing a 2,000 HUF collector coin. The dominant design featured on the obverse shows a section of a world map with Europe as the centre and starred settlement names in boxes where the most significant battles took place involving Hungarian soldiers. The reverse depicts a scene from the trenches, showing trench warfare and the tragedy of war, as well as the heroism and comradery of the soldiers.

Solomon Islands $1

The Solomon Islands issued this limited edition 1 dollar coin featuring a cluster of vivid red Remembrance poppies against the Union Flag background. The reverse design has the important centenary dates and the words ‘LEST WE FORGET’. As the Solomon Islands is a commonwealth country, the reverse of this coin featured Queen Elizabeth II’s portrait.

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Each coin pays its own historic tribute to this significant anniversary marked by millions of people around the world.  

Do you have a favourite Armistice coin from around the world? Let us know in the comments!