The moment the guns fell silent and the First World War drew to a close was one of the most significant events in global history. Over five years, millions of lives were lost and the map of the world changed forever. In 2018, we mark the centenary of the Armistice, the longed-for moment that brought the fighting to an end. This is a moment to reflect on the cost of war, to remember those who paid the ultimate sacrifice, and those they left behind.

To mark the centenary of the Armistice, Stephen Raw, an internationally renowned textual artist, has created a design for this £2 coin reminding us all of the truth and pity of war. He was inspired by Wilfred Owen, perhaps the best known of the ‘soldier poets’, and the design features an inscription taken from Owen’s poem, ‘Strange Meeting’.  Stephen Raw went beyond inspiration, actually visiting France to take clay for his model from the Sambre-Oise Canal where Owen was killed in 1918. This limited edition sterling silver coin has been finished to the finest Proof standard and comes with a booklet filled with imagery and information sourced with the help of Imperial War Museums.