Description
There’s something about the sight and sounds of Britain’s WWII aircraft that stirs the blood. A world away from the hi-tech possibilities of today, our pioneering engineers designed aircraft that not only pushed the boundaries of what was possible, but did it with grace and beauty of form. These machines, in the hands of the heroic pilots of the RAF, performed extraordinary feats of aerial supremacy against the imposing threat of Hitler’s Germany and helped Britain to win the War.
Now, to coincide with the 70th Anniversary of the Spitfire’s last operational mission, coins have been produced which for the first time ever, feature genuine metal from a WWII Spitfire laid into their solid 22 carat designs! Creating an historic link to the legendary defenders of the skies in WWII, these coins represent an era of courage, endurance and daring self-sacrifice that has all but slipped from living memory. These sovereigns offer a unique reminder of Britain’s WWII aircraft, they are the very first of their kind in the world.
Here’s a brief snapshot of the benefits:
- This is the first time that gold sovereign coins have featured genuine metal from a WWII Spitfire laid into their twenty-two carat gold design, creating an historic link to Britain’s most iconic aircraft.
- The central design shows a ‘plan view’ of the aircraft from the ground, inspired by the Spotter Cards used by the public during the War.
- The designs also feature sections of the coastline of southern England, complete with radar lines indicating the location of actual radar stations that gave Britain a crucial advantage in the war of the skies.
- The genuine metal is from the engine cowling (cover) of a Mk-XVI Spitfire that flew missions attacking V2 rocket launchers, but was later damaged beyond repair. It gives each coin a direct link with an original WWII Spitfire.
The aircraft that helped Britain win the War, celebrated on new world-first gold sovereign coins
Four iconic aircraft from RAF Fighter Command make up this exceptional range: the Supermarine Spitfire, the Bristol Blenheim, the De Havilland Mosquito and the Hawker Hurricane. Each is a legend in its own right, exemplifying Britain’s airborne prowess and technical expertise.
The one-eighth gold sovereign celebrates the Supermarine Spitfire, whose ground-breaking design gave rise to a fighter plane capable of astonishing feats of aerial agility. With its elliptical wing shape and slim fuselage, the Spitfire was both graceful and incredibly fast – a fighter pilot’s dream. Its famous defence of the skies above Britain during WWII lifted the nation’s spirits and made it an icon of British resistance.
Its counterpart was the remarkable Hawker Hurricane, which features on the full sovereign in this set. Whilst slower than the Spitfire, the Hurricane was highly manoeuvrable, incredibly robust and capable of surviving fierce combat damage. Squadrons were often directed at enemy bombers over which they had a speed advantage as well as a steady gun platform. These hardy fighter planes accounted for more RAF victories than any other aircraft at the Battle of Britain.
Genuine metal from a Spitfire that flew missions against German V2 rocket launchers makes these coins the very first of their kind!
Embellishing gold sovereigns is rarely undertaken – the embellishment needs to be seen to add to the significance of the design and not detract from it – and none have ever included genuine metal from a WWII Spitfire in the design before. These coins are the first of their kind in the world! The use of metal taken from an original Spitfire means that these gold coins provide a genuine, historical link to legendary wartime aircraft and the extraordinary pilots that flew them.
The metal is sourced from the engine cowling (cover) of a Mk-XVI Spitfire which entered service on the 1st November 1944. It was flown by 601 Squadron of the RAF, used mainly in low-level flying attacks on German mobile launch vehicles for V2 rockets. After the war this Spitfire lay unmaintained and by the time this engine cowling was retrieved from RAF Kenley in the 1980s it was beyond repair.
The engine cover, however, had a part number on it: engine covers often required minor adjustments to make them fit and so maintenance crews often identified specific parts to ensure they went back on the correct airframe. These numbers mean this part can be identified to Spitfire SM234.
Further significance is added by the fact that this metal comes from the engine cover, as one of the Spitfire’s most distinctive attributes was the ‘roar’ of its Merlin 27-litre V12 engine. This aircraft was a Mk-XVI Spitfire which was fitted with a Merlin 266 engine that had been optimised for low altitude operation. All 1,054 of the Mk-XVI Spitfires were built as low-altitude fighters and many of them had square-cropped wings to make them more stable at low altitudes. They were built at Castle Bromwich, the largest purpose built WWII aircraft factory in Britain.
These new gold sovereigns with their world-first design are an exciting tribute to Britain’s legendary WWII aircraft, and are likely to be keenly sought by collectors and history enthusiasts alike.
Authorised by Tristan Da Cunha and approved by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and Buckingham Palace, it is a wonderful tribute – the first sovereign coins to feature genuine metal from a WWII Spitfire laid into the design.
The sale of every coin will benefit SSAFA, the Armed Forces charity
The Soldiers’, Sailors’, Airmen and Families Association, known as SSAFA, the Armed Forces charity, provides support for our Forces and their families in their time of need. Each 2024 WWII Aircraft Legends Prestige Sovereign Set sold will support SSAFA as it continues to provide welfare and well-being assistance to our
