The Royal Mint has unveiled a commemorative coin marking 80 years since the D-Day landings. The design of the reverse side of the 50p coin was revealed ahead of the anniversary on June 6.
Designed by David Lawrence with support from Imperial War Museums, the coin depicts Allied soldiers disembarking a landing craft onto the beaches of Normandy, with offensive aircraft soaring in the sky above. The coin design features the inscription: “D-Day 6 June 1944 Utah Omaha Gold Juno Sword.” The obverse side of the coin showcases the official coinage portrait of King Charles.
To commemorate the release, French sand artist Jehan-Benjamin Tarain, supported by fellow sand artist Sam Dougados, recreated the D-Day 80 coin design on Gold Beach, one of the historic landing sites. The sand art, scaled at 35 meters in diameter, took five hours and 30 minutes to complete.
Rebecca Morgan, director of commemorative coin at the Royal Mint, stated, “Coins have long served as reminders of pivotal moments in history. We are proud to unveil this tribute to the courage and resilience of British and Allied troops eight decades ago, which will serve as a permanent reminder of their sacrifices and bravery.”
David Fenton, assistant director of commercial at Imperial War Museums, added, “D-Day was the largest combined naval, air, and land operation in the history of warfare. This coin is a poignant reminder of those who fought so bravely and sacrificed so much during this intrepid mission.”
Mr. Tarain, also known as Jben, expressed his gratitude, saying, “My team and I feel very fortunate to have played a role in helping to translate the craftsmanship seen in the design of this coin into a piece of sand art on one of the beaches where troops landed. This collaboration plays an important reminder of the united allied effort between French and British forces 80 years ago.”
The coins are available for purchase on the Royal Mint’s website, with prices starting from £12.
