Posts Tagged ‘physicist’
Brand new 50p released as Stephen Hawking goes down in numismatic history!
Less than a year since his death, The Royal Mint have released a brand new Stephen Hawking 50p coin, honouring his works as one of the most influential physicists of the modern age.
Hawking’s ‘A Brief History of Time’ enlightened millions to the workings of the universe and revolutionised the way we understand time and space. As an ambassador for science, his significant contributions to humanity have left a lasting presence on all of us.
The exciting release of this coin makes Hawking one of only three people to be immortalised on a coin so soon after his passing, putting him alongside Winston Churchill and the Queen Mother in the history of famous figures commemorated on a UK coin within a year of their passing.
1965 Churchill Crown and 2002 Queen Mother Memorial £5 – both issued within a year of their death.
To commemorate Britain’s most famous physicist, a man who brought science to life in a way that the everyday person could connect with, this brand new 50p has been issued in Brilliant Uncirculated, Silver Proof and Gold Proof editions.
The striking design by Edwina Ellis features a stylised black hole to reflect his breakthrough work, as well as an inscription of his name and most notable ‘Bekenstein-Hawking formula’ describing the thermodynamic entropy of a black hole.
Edwina said of the design, “Stephen Hawking made difficult subjects accessible, engaging and relatable and this is what I wanted to portray in my design, which is inspired by a lecture he gave in Chile in 2008. Hawking, at his playful best, invites the audience to contemplate peering into a black hole before diving in. I wanted to fit a big black hole on the tiny coin and wish he was still here chortling at the thought. I am sure he would have thought of ways to harness the shiny table of the coin too. You feel he cared about all of us understanding.”
Excitingly, this is actually the first coin issued as part of a four coin series issued by The Royal Mint to celebrate ‘innovators in science’ and so it seems only fitting that the very first coin should feature Stephen Hawking.
We’re yet to find out who will feature on the next three coins, but who do you think should be chosen to be featured alongside Stephen Hawking?
Secure the BRAND NEW Stephen Hawking 50p for just £4.50 (+p&p)
This coin won’t be entering circulation, but you can add it to your collection in superior collector’s quality.