Royal Mint Unveils New £5 Coin Honoring Sir Paul McCartney

Former Beatle Sir Paul McCartney stated it is a “huge honour” to be featured on a new commemorative coin launched by the Royal Mint. This new coin collection is the first of its kind, specifically designed to celebrate Sir Paul’s pioneering career. The £5 coin depicts The Beatles singer’s iconic magic piano, along with various references to his career, including piano notes personally selected by him, a Höfner violin bass guitar, and the Wings logo. Sir Paul remarked, “It’s not anything I would have ever expected to happen when I was a kid.” While the adage suggests money cannot buy love, these coins are available for purchase, with the most affordable option priced at £15.50, and some rare or coloured versions costing over £100. Early next year, The Royal Mint will provide fans with an opportunity to acquire a signed, gold edition of the coin. This bespoke gold coin weighs 5kg (11lb) and required over 250 hours to produce, including three days of hand polishing. McCartney signed it during his 2024 Got Back tour in Paris, and it will be auctioned alongside four silver 5kg editions. Inspired by his early career practice of using pennies as guitar picks, the Royal Mint has also created a special edition plectrum-shaped version of the coin as a gift for Sir Paul. This unique plectrum was produced using sustainable gold, recovered from e-waste at their factory in south Wales. Rebecca Morgan, Director of Commemorative Coin at The Royal Mint, commented: “Our coins recognise the greatest icons and events in British history, so it’s fitting that Paul McCartney’s remarkable music career is now celebrated on an official UK coin. “What makes this coin extra special is that Paul has been involved throughout the design process.”