Metal Anarchy

The Royal Mint will be honoring Queen with an official U.K. commemorative coin. The coin will be the first in The Royal Mint’s new “Music Legends” collection.

The following description of the coin was shared on royalmint.com:

“Music Legends is a new collection from The Royal Mint paying tribute to the bands and artists whose attitude, sound and look came to define each passing decade – a legacy perfectly encapsulated in each coin design.

The first coin in the series features one of the most iconic rock bands of all time. Formed in London in the early 1970s, Queen augmented their hard rock sound with pop sensibilities, redefining the genre and elevating it to another level. Recording a string of smash hits, fans flocked to see them live, their foot-stomping anthems and epic ballads delivered with panache by their flamboyant frontman, tragically gone too soon.

Hugely anticipated by coin collectors and music fans alike, Queen are celebrated with a design that features the iconic instruments played by each founding member: Brian May’s Red Special guitar, John Deacon’s Fender Precision bass, Roger Taylor’s Ludwig™ bass drum and Freddie Mercury’s Bechstein™ grand piano with the opening notes of Bohemian Rhapsody pressed down.

Alongside a gold Proof, silver Proof and standard Brilliant Uncirculated edition, the BU coin is also available in three different slipcase covers exclusive to The Royal Mint– a fitting tribute to the career of one of Britain’s best-loved bands.”

Brian May said the following:

“This is a big ‘Who could have imagined it?’ moment for us. When we began as Queen, even the first rung of the ladder to recognition seemed remote and unreachable. To have our band recognized and our music celebrated in this way is very touching — a real honor.”

Roger Taylor continued:

“Marvellous, all this fuss over our band. I feel entirely spent.”

Nicola Howell, chief commercial officer at The Royal Mint, also commented:

“Queen were one of the most influential bands of their generation, and their timeless classics are still enjoyed by millions of fans around the world. That’s why we’re so pleased to be honoring their great contribution to British music with their very own coin, which will be the first time a British band has been celebrated on U.K. coinage. British music is one of our greatest contributions to culture around the world, and its musicians like Queen who are at the forefront of this. We’re looking forward to announcing other coins in our new ‘Music Legends’ collection later this year, marking the work of other exceptional British musicians.”

Chris Facey, designer of the Queen coin, added:

“My first memory of Queen was hearing ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ in the film ‘Wayne’s World’, and I’ve been a big fan ever since. It’s therefore such an honour to be asked to commemorate such an extraordinary band on a U.K. coin, and even more exciting as it’s the first coin I’ve designed. All four members of Queen were vital for their bravery in the music they created and the boundaries they pushed, and I hope that fans will enjoy seeing each of their contributions paid tribute to on this coin.”

[via Blabbermouth]