Behind the Design: Stories of the Second World War

The Royal Mint has commemorated the service of those that served Britain and the Commonwealth during the Second World War before, but this coin now pays tribute to the millions of ordinary people who served by retelling their stories and experiences.

The reverse design for this new coin was left in the hands of artist Timothy Noad, who has created numerous heraldic coin designs for The Royal Mint in recent years. These designs include those commemorating the Royal Arms, the coronation of His Majesty King Charles III, the 95th birthday of Elizabeth II and three different editions of The Sovereign (2002, 2005 and 2022); he has also produced designs for several £1 coins and the popular Tower of London collection in 2020.

In addition to coins, Timothy Noad has also produced several designs for service medals issued since the year 2000. These include medals issued to members of the armed forces, emergency services and the Royal Family for Queen Elizabeth II’s jubilees in 2002, 2012 and 2022. He was also responsible for the design of the Operational Service Medal that has been issued by the Ministry of Defence since 2000.

With such a proven pedigree for both coin and medal design, Timothy Noad was the ideal choice for our coin honouring the stories of the Second World War, which combines these creative aspects in a single design. The final design features detailed depictions of three of the most notable medals awarded to those who served Britain and the Commonwealth in recognition of their service during the Second World War.

The first of the three medals is the 1939–45 Star, which was not only issued to those who had completed six months of service overseas during the war but also presented to those that saw their service curtailed by injury or capture; it was also presented posthumously to the families of those who qualified for the medal but had sadly passed.

Next is the Defence Medal that was awarded to a variety of eligible British and Commonwealth personnel. In the United Kingdom, this included those who had completed three years of service in the armed forces or civilian support services.

In overseas areas, it was also awarded to individuals who had completed six months of overseas service in a non-operational area that had been closely threatened or subjected to an air attack but also personnel with one year of experience in a non-operational area not subjected to an air attack or closely threatened. The Defence Medal was also awarded to qualifying civilian units, from the Home Guard to the National Fire Service and many more.

The final medal is the famed War Medal  that was presented to full-time military personnel and those who served at sea for 28 days in the Merchant Navy during the Second World War. This was the most common medal awarded for service throughout the war and is commonly found in the possession of both those who served and those that cherish their family members’ possessions as heirlooms.

Each original medal that appears within the reverse design for this coin features a representation of George VI, the reigning British monarch during the Second World War. The king’s Royal Cypher – GRI VI – surmounted by a crown, appears on the 1939–45 Star as designed by Percy Metcalfe, whilst the War Medal features Percy Metcalfe’s crowned coinage portrait of George VI. The Defence Medal features a coinage portrait of George VI without a crown, designed by Humphrey Paget.

Each classic design has been faithfully recreated in minute detail using state-of-the-art laser technology and underscored by the words ‘STORIES OF THE SECOND WORLD WAR’.

For those that served in any aspect of the Second World War, the coin makes an incredible gift that honours their contributions to the war effort. For those that hold these people in their memories as family members and loved ones, the coin acts as a reminder of what these brave people sacrificed and pays tribute to their contributions that will never be forgotten and cannot possibly be repaid.