The Royal Mint has launched a collectable £2 coin to mark Flying Scotsman’s centenary in collaboration with the National Railway Museum. The £2 collectable coin will feature the world’s most famous steam locomotive in vivid colour – a rarity on £2 coins, with the last coloured £2 coin released over 20 years ago*.
This Flying Scotsman £2 coin features a reverse design by the experienced coinage artist John Bergdahl. Featuring the inscription ‘LNER.’ followed by ‘4472’, Flying Scotsman’s second service number, as well as the date of the locomotive’s special anniversary, the design captures a side-on view of the famous locomotive as it steams ahead on one of its many rail journeys. The edge inscription reads ‘LIVE FOR THE JOURNEY’ in a tribute to an engine that continues to be admired 100 years since its journey began.
Combining traditional engraving and minting techniques with innovative technology, Royal Mint Engraver, Kerry Davies, ensured John’s original design, which was created on a plaster model, was translated appropriately to appear on the £2 coin. This was completed by using optical scanners to convert John’s design from a 25cm diameter plaster model to a 3D digital file. Following this process, Royal Mint Engraver Kerry was then able to refine and delicately translate the design to feature onto a £2 coin, 28.40mm in size, without losing any of the detail or fineness of John’s design.
Ffion Gwillim, in The Royal Mint’s design team, meticulously ensured the colouring that appears on the coin is inspired by Flying Scotsman’s iconic LNER Locomotive Green livery also known as Apple Green. Working closely with the curatorial team at the National Railway Museum, The Royal Mint’s design team based the green on several images of the locomotive over the years. Using innovative colour printing technology, the team were then able to replicate this exact colour to appear on the Flying Scotsman £2 coin – bringing the locomotive’s characteristics to life.
Rebecca Morgan, Director of Collector Services at The Royal Mint said, “Flying Scotsman is a wonderful example of British craftsmanship, design and engineering, which led to the creation of one of the world’s most famous locomotives. While The Royal Mint’s expertise and craftsmanship is closely linked with precious metals, it was important for us to highlight the skill and engineering behind the locomotive as part of the coin’s design to mark its milestone centenary. Our talented team of craftspeople have captured the locomotive’s characteristics in fine detail, with the colour edition of the coin bringing the locomotive to life. It is rare for colour to feature on a £2 coin, so we anticipate this one to be extremely popular with not only railway enthusiasts but also coin collectors across the world.”
Judith McNicol, Director of the National Railway Museum, said: “Flying Scotsman’s centenary is an opportunity for people to come together to celebrate and share their memories of this special locomotive. The National Railway Museum has organised a programme of events and activities to mark the centenary and featuring on the new coin is a real honour and a wonderful way to mark the occasion.”
Originally designed by Nigel Gresley, Flying Scotsman was built in Doncaster in 1923. Currently the oldest main line working locomotive on the United Kingdom’s tracks, the Flying Scotsman has a rich history spanning over 100 years. Synonymous with the golden age of rail travel, the locomotive is renowned as a feat of design and engineering. Earning its name from the daily 10am London to Edinburgh rail service, the Flying Scotsman’s 100-year journey has seen it break railway records, gain worldwide fame and become an enduring symbol of the great age of steam. Flying Scotsman is now a star attraction in the collection of the National Railway Museum (part of the Science Museum Group) in York, where it is a working museum exhibit.
The coin celebrating Flying Scotsman has been created in partnership with the National Railway Museum. The Flying Scotsman £2 coin will be available to purchase from The Royal Mint’s website from 9am 23rd February.
*The last commemorative £2 coin featuring colour was the 2002 Commonwealth Games coins for Northern Ireland, Wales, Scotland, and England.
Photo credit: James Speakman/ PA Wire
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