New £5 coin to commemorate life of Prince Philip unveiled

A new coin to commemorate the life of the Duke of Edinburgh has been unveiled.

The special edition £5 coin features an original portrait of Prince Philip, with the design approved by the Duke himself before his death in April.

On Saturday the coin was unveiled by the Chancellor to mark Armed Forces Day, in recognition of the Prince’s naval career.

The Royal Mint will make a £50,000 donation to the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award to support the work it does in the UK and internationally.

Chancellor Rishi Sunak said: “This coin is a fitting tribute to The Duke of Edinburgh, who moved and inspired so many people around the world with his decades of service both to the nation and Her Majesty The Queen.

“I’m proud to unveil the coin on Armed Forces Day, considering his distinguished naval career and unwavering dedication to our Monarch and to his Royal duties, and it is only right that he and the Queen are depicted together on both sides of it.”

Anne Jessopp, Chief Executive of The Royal Mint, said: “Since the passing of The Duke of Edinburgh in April, many have commented that he led a life well lived.

“He was the longest serving consort in British history, and patron or president to over 750 organisations – including The Royal Mint Advisory Committee.

“The Royal Mint has marked significant Royal events for centuries and is honoured to unveil an original new coin which celebrates the life and legacy of a remarkable man.

“It feels fitting that this coin – which was personally approved by the Prince – will also support the work of The Duke of Edinburgh’s Awards. The Awards have benefited millions of young people since they were formed in 1956, and are perhaps Prince Philip’s greatest legacy.”

Ruth Marvel, CEO of the Duke of Edinburgh Awards said: “This wonderful tribute will help us build on The Duke of Edinburgh’s legacy so more young people can start their DofE Award journey and develop the skills, resilience and self-belief they will need to successfully navigate the challenges of adult life.”

The coin will be available from the Royal Mint website from Saturday, as well as post offices around the United Kingdom and special stockists across the Commonwealth and worldwide.

The design was personally approved by The Duke of Edinburgh in 2008 and drawn by the acclaimed artist Ian Rank-Broadley FRBS.

The coin bears the inscription “HRH The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh 1921-2021” and will be struck by the Royal Mint.

The coin is legal tender but has been designed as a limited-edition collectible or gift and will not be entering general circulation.