Royal Mint Release Commemorative Coin to Mark Anniversary of Gold Standard

To mark the anniversary of the first formal gold standard, The Royal Mint has released the latest commemorative design to celebrate its place in financial history. Finished to Proof standard and available in one ounce and quarter-ounce editions, the Gold Standard commemorative coin features an original design by Dominique Evans and has a LEP of 250 and 500 respectively. The Royal Mint has also released a special anniversary set that pairs a modern Proof coin commemorating the introduction of the gold standard with a 1931 Sovereign struck during the year that Britain finally left the system 90 years ago. The set has an LEP of 300

First written into law in 1821, the gold standard was a concept linked to the mind of Sir Isaac Newton, former Master of the Mint. Sir Isaac Newton issued a report in 1717 that led to the gold guinea being assigned a fixed value. Following the Coinage Act of 1816, Britain’s gold standard was adopted and it was the first system of its type in the world. Several countries with large economies followed the British lead, including Canada, the United States and Germany. Backed by the newly revived Sovereign, it became a global monetary system that remained until the outbreak of the First World War drove gold coins out of circulation. As Chancellor of the Exchequer, Winston Churchill returned Britain to a gold standard in 1925 but it was abandoned altogether in 1931 as economic pressures mounted.

The anniversary is celebrated on a Proof coin for the first time, following a bullion range that has been released previously by The Royal Mint, with the same reverse design. The reverse design, depicting scales to reflect the balance and precision of the standard, comes from senior designer Dominique Evans. A designer at The Royal Mint for nearly 18 years, Dominique has also created designs for coins celebrating Jane Austen, the Sapphire Coronation of Her Majesty The Queen and the Diversity Build Britain 50p released as both circulating and commemorative, last year.

Dominique comments: “My grandfather was a bank manager who had a large set of scales from the bank, which I have inherited. They naturally became the integral part of the design and I am delighted that they have become part of a coin design of which my grandad would have been so very proud.

“The Gold Standard is such an important piece of financial history, it feels wonderful to have my design used on a Proof version of the coin, especially one with such a limited mintage, it feels like a real collector’s item.”

For more information please visit The Royal Mint’s website – https://www.royalmint.com/our-coins/events/gold-standard/.

Coin title	The Gold Standard 2021 UK One-Ounce Gold Proof Coin	The Gold Standard 2021 UK Quarter-Ounce Gold Proof Coin	The Gold Standard Set The Gold Standard 2021 UK Quarter-Ounce Gold Proof Coin	The Gold Standard Set 1931 Sovereign
Denomination	£100	£25	£25	Sovereign
Issuing Authority	UK	UK	UK	UK
Alloy	999.9 AU	999.9 AU	999.9 AU	916.7 Au
Weight	31.21g	7.80g	7.80g	7.98g
Diameter	32.69mm	22.00mm	22.00mm	22.05mm
Obverse Designer	Jody Clark	Jody Clark	Jody Clark	Bertram Mackennal
Reverse Designer	Dominique Evans	Dominique Evans	Dominique Evans	Benedetto Pistrucci
Quality	Proof	Proof	Proof	Bullion/VF
Additional Features	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
Limited Edition Presentation	250	500	300
RRP	£2,440	£650	£1,250