Freddie Mercury has been celebrated with a coin issued by the Royal Mint, which the late Queen frontman’s sister said would have “meant a lot” to him.
The design of the coin depicts the charismatic showman while singing and includes his signature, reports DPA/PA Media taken over by Agerpres on Tuesday. The details on the coin evoke the extraordinary talent of Mercury through carefully elaborated design elements, the Royal Mint said, writes Agerpres.
Some coins also include colorful elements, such as the yellow jacket worn by the singer during the famous Live Aid concert, and capture his vibrant energy. The coin was launched in the same year as the 40th anniversary of the 1985 Live Aid concert, as well as the 40th anniversary of the release of Mercury’s solo studio album Mr Bad Guy.
The reaction of Freddie Mercury’s sister
The coin can be purchased from Tuesday on the Royal Mint website. Freddie Mercury’s sister Kashmira Bulsara visited the Royal Mint to strike the first coin in this series.
“The striking of the first coin at the Royal Mint was, for me, a moment of great emotion and pride. Freddie would have been absolutely delighted to be honored in this way and to know that his family had contributed to this tribute.”she said.
“He always had a great respect for British traditions and institutions, and for the Royal Mint to celebrate his heritage with such beautiful craftsmanship would have meant a great deal to him. The coin perfectly captures his passion and the joy he brought to millions of people through his music“, added the late artist’s sister.
Freddie Mercury, loved by generations of fans for such hits as ‘A Kind of Magic’, ‘We Will Rock You’, ‘I Want to Break Free’, ‘We Are the Champions’, ‘Don’t Stop Me Now’ and ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’, died in 1991.
Other artists to whom the Royal Mint has dedicated commemorative coins from the “Legends of Music” series include David Bowie, George Michael, Shirley Bassey and Paul McCartney. The Royal Mint will donate a gold version of the coin to the Mercury Phoenix Trust, the AIDS charity founded in memory of the artist.
The organization will auction the song in the coming months, continuing Freddie Mercury’s mission to support people affected by HIV and AIDS. Prices for Freddie Mercury coins range from £18.50 to £29.50. The gold coin is priced at £9,350 and the silver is priced at £144.50.
