The Perth Mint Likes... Great British Icons

The following is a press release from the Perth Mint

What are Britain's greatest icons? The Royal Mint made six interesting choices for this coin set celebrating the best of British in the lead up the 2012 London Games.

Winston Churchill, the original ‘bulldog' spirit, and Big Ben, the popular name for the famous clock tower at Westminster, are solid inclusions.


The same can be said for Buckingham Palace and The Mall, familiar landmarks at the heart of ‘royal' London.

We particularly like the tribute to Old Father Thames. Witness to 2,000 years of history, its reflective course is cleverly shown meandering through the Olympic city in a brilliant design.

Another fascinating portrayal offers a close-encounter with Stonehenge, the millennia-old mystery on Salisbury Plain.

Finally, there's a celebration of British music -- from the Proms to pop -- symbolised in a depiction of ‘Breathless', a sculpture created from squashed brass instruments.

There's a huge choice of iconic people, places, landscapes, art and culture that could have been represented in this sterling silver collection. But this is an admirable result that many Australians of British descent will take pride in as London puts its unique stamp on the next Olympic spectacle.