Combined Minutes.pdf

Advisory  Committee  on  the
Design  of  Coins, Medals,
Seals  and  Decorations

Minutes

291st Meeting
Buckingham Palace
3.00pm Thursday 21st June 2018

Present
Lord Waldegrave of North Hill (Chairman)
Professor Phil Baines
Mrs Blondel Cluff CBE
Ms Nicola Howell
Professor Nick Mayhew
Mr Hughie O’Donoghue RA
Professor Jane Ridley
Lieutenant Colonel Mike Vernon
Mr Edmund de Waal OBE
Mr Thomas Woodcock CVO DL

Dr Kevin Clancy (Secretary)
Mr Lee Jones (Royal Mint Coin Design Department)

Apologies
Dr Nicholas Cullinan
Mrs Anne Jessopp

Item 1.0
Minutes of 290th meeting
The minutes of the meeting held on Thursday 22nd March 2018 at the
Shard were approved and signed by the Chairman.
Item 2.0
VE Day coins, 2020 (Circulating two-pound coin and
commemorative kilo and five ounce coins)
A two-pound coin will be issued in 2020 to commemorate the 75th
anniversary of VE Day and it is intended the coin will be released into
general circulation. A number of artists had been invited to prepare
designs and images of the artwork had been sent to members of the

  Committee some days prior to the meeting. It was noted that there was a

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requirement in this instance for two designs to be selected, one for the
circulating coin and the other for use on commemorative coins.
2.1
Circulating two-pound coin
Mr de Waal thought Designer B’s work lucid and coherent, liking in
particular the use of the searchlight. The Chairman agreed these were
simple and strong designs and for him B1, B3 or B6 would be worth
considering.  A1 was supported by Mr O’Donoghue  but he wondered what
the lady was waving above her head. He recalled the image and had it in
mind that the individual might be Gracie Fields. The Secretary undertook
to investigate this further, with the suggestion that it need not require the
depiction of a known public figure. The image of soldiers returning home,
as shown in F4, was also liked by the Chairman but opinion returned to
the work of Designer B, with B3 emerging as the favoured option on
account of the map being drawn more clearly.
It was agreed that A1 and B3 should go forward to the next stage, bearing
in mind the comments noted below.
-  A1. Check the accuracy of what the lady was holding in her raised hand.
Check if it was an image of a known individual.
-  Ensure the lettering was legible.
The Secretary undertook to progress the designs on this basis.

2.2
Commemorative kilo and five-ounce coins
With respect to the commemorative coins, the work of Designer B again
attracted attention. The prominent use of the V for victory appealed to
members, with B1 and B4 emerging as the most strongly supported.
Recommendation in favour of B1 and B4. The following comments were
made.
-  B1. Replace the way in which the date was rendered with a more
conventional style. Remove the people from either side of the V.
-  B4. Remove the Union flag, the US flag and the Soviet flag from the
design. Ensure there was additional detail in the map to make the most
of the larger size coins.
The Secretary agreed to pass this feedback on to the artist concerned.
Item 3.0
Paddington fifty pence, 2019 (Circulating coin)
Following on from the release of coins celebrating Paddington this year,
the intention was to issue additional coins next year which would be
released into general circulation.
The same Royal Mint designer, David Knapton, had been invited to
prepare artwork and the resulting 13 options had been circulated to
members a few days before the meeting. Three approaches had been
explored: Paddington at the Tower of London, Paddington at St Paul’s
Cathedral and Paddington shopping in Notting Hill, with the requirement
being for designs for two of these to be selected. It was quickly agreed that
the Tower of London and St Paul’s Cathedral were the preferred
approaches.
3.1
Tower of London
Professor Baines liked Design 2 for the Tower and Mrs Cluff was also
taken with it but requested it be amended to ensure it did not seem as if

one of the towers were emerging from Paddington’s ear. The Chairman
noted that he preferred to see the label present on Paddington’s duffle coat
and with sandwich in hand.
Recommended Design 2. The following comments were made.
-  Rearrange the elements of the design so one of the towers of the White
Tower did not appear to be emerging from the side of Paddington’s
head.
-  Retain the label and the sandwich.

3.2
St Paul’s Cathedral
Of the designs submitted showing St Paul’s Cathedral, Design 4 was liked
by Professor Baines and the Chairman.  Mr de Waal  was happy with that
choice but wanted to make sure the design would be properly drawn-up
rather than being based on what seemed like a photoshop approach.  Mr
Jones assured him that this would indeed be the case.
Recommended Design 4. The following comments were made.
-  The view of St Paul’s to be of the front, showing part of the clock face, as
well as the dome, so more recognisably St Paul’s Cathedral.
-  Add the label on Paddington’s coat.
For both the approaches selected, the Secretary undertook to convey the
comments to Mr Knapton.
Item 4.0
250th anniversary of the birth of William Wordsworth two-
pound coin, 2020 (Collector coin)
Having received approval to issue a two-pound coin to celebrate the birth
of the poet William Wordsworth, designs had been commissioned from a
number of artists, images of which had been sent to members during the
week before the meeting.
The Chairman was concerned at the profusion of daffodils and wondered if
it might be possible to explore other well known, or possibly better, poems
by Wordsworth.  Mrs Cluff  liked A5 but appreciated it did look a little too
much like a William Morris print.  For Mr de Waa l, the simplicity of A4
and its use of Wordsworth’s signature worked very well but Mr Jones
pointed out if this approach were followed, it would bear a strong
resemblance to a coin issued to commemorate Robert Burns some years
ago.  Mr O’Donoghue  felt creating designs honouring poets or poetry
presented certain recurrent challenges: in the absence of the image of the
poet being recognisable, how should the work itself or some pictorial
realisation be presented? If the pictorial were going to be pursued in this
instance, he wondered if clouds might work better than daffodils.  Mrs
Cluff liked the lettering approach of B3 and Mr Woodcock was also in
favour of the design but it was questioned whether more of the poem could
be included while still retaining a sufficient degree of legibility.
As a decorative motif to accompany a letter-based design, the Chairman
suggested using wild daffodils and making use of a type-face from the time
could help add another layer of meaning. It was further suggested that
lines from other poems ought to be explored.
A recommendation was made in favour of B3. The following comments
were made.

-  Use a font relevant to the time.  Professor Baines suggested Bell or
Bulmer italics. If using daffodils ensure they are of the smaller wild
variety.
-  Prepare an additional design using an extract from a different poem that
would fill the space in the same manner. Suggestions included:
‘Bliss it was in that dawn to be alive’. The French Revolution as it
appeared to enthusiasts at its commencement.
Ode: Intimations of immortality from recollections of early childhood.
The Prelude.
-  A poem in which butterflies or rainbows feature.
The Secretary agreed to pass on these comments to the artist.
Item 5.0
British Wildlife coins, 2019 (Bullion coin)
A design by Thomas Docherty depicting a red deer had been
recommended at the meeting in March. Subsequently, however, it had
been discovered that the design bore a strong resemblance to a coin issued
by the Canadian Mint, meaning it would be unwise for the Royal Mint to
progress with the artwork selected.
With a view to finding an alternative, the two other designs previously
presented had been circulated to members a few days before the meeting.
After a brief discussion, it was agreed that Design 1 was the most
dignified alternative.
Recommended Design 1. The following comments were made.
-  Ensure it was a red deer that wass being depicted.
-  Ensure there were the correct number of points on the antlers – should
be 12.
The Secretary noted that these comments would be conveyed to Mr
Docherty.
Item 6.0
Queen’s Beasts - The Lion of Mortimer (Collector and bullion
coins)
At the meeting in March a design had been selected for the Lion of
Mortimer. A model had since been prepared and images had been
circulated to members a few days before the meeting.
Mr de Waal thought it an energetic treatment but Mrs Cluff pointed out
that the area under the lion’s chin had closed up somewhat in the
modelling and it was requested the gap be made slightly wider. In
response to the Chairman, Mr Woodcock indicated he was entirely happy
with the design.
Recommended the design presented but with the following comments.
-  The space below the lion’s chin to be made clearer.
-  The stop after 999 to be moved away from the last 9.
The Secretary agreed to pass these comments on to the artist.
Item 7.0
Wallace and Gromit fifty pence, 2020 (Collector coin)

  Approval had been received to issue a coin to mark the 30th anniversary of

the release of the first Wallace and Gromit film. The coin design team at
the Royal Mint had worked with Aardman Annimations and the design as
circulated, had been developed in concert with them.
Of the three options presented, opinion quickly resolved itself in favour of
Design 2. A Latin scholar had been consulted prior to the meeting on
possible inscriptions and the one selected by the Committee was CASEUS
PRAESTANS which means, cracking cheese. The only material comment
made was that consideration be given to the font employed.
Item 8.0
Remembrance Day coin, 2019 (Collector coin)
Two designs had been short listed at the meeting in March and
photographs of the two models based on the original artwork had been
sent to members in advance of the meeting.
The Chairman felt that the Committee had seen quite a lot of designs
showing the Cenotaph in recent years and there had probably been
something of a surfeit of poppies. He therefore requested that other
approaches be pursued for this type of theme in the future. For  Professor
Baines it was C2 that conveyed the message of the coin simply and yet in a
way that filled the space, balancing the poppy with the lettering.  Mrs Cluff
agreed and Ms Howell saw in it a different treatment from the previous
use of poppies on coinage designs.
Recommended C2. The following comment was made.
-  Move the dates in from the outer border of lettering.
The Secretary agreed to convey the comment to the artist.

Item 9.0
Lunar Year of the Rat, 2020 (Collector and bullion coins)
For the next in the lunar calendar series, a design was required for the year
of the rat to be issued as a bullion coin in 2020. A number of designs had
been circulated to members prior to the meeting.
The Chairman reminded members that in Chinese culture the rat was
regarded as inquisitive and tenacious and almost certainly did not have the
negative press to be found in Britain.  Mrs Cluff wondered if the flower
motif employed ought to be a peony, provided it could be incorporated
without unbalancing the composition.  For Mr de  Waal A5 represented the
most successful design, partly because of the positioning of the Chinese
character but also because the elements of the design worked together as a
whole. The Chairman was happy to endorse this view and there was
general agreement it was more promising than any of the others put
forward by Designer B.
Recommended A5. The following comment was made.
-  Replace the existing flowers with peonies. Take care to ensure it does
not change the nature of the composition.
The Secretary undertook to pass this comment on to the artist.
Item 10.0
Report from the Sub-Committee on the Selection of Themes
A meeting of the Sub-Committee on the Selection of Themes for United
Kingdom coins had been held on 4th June as a follow up to the one in
March. The minutes of the meeting had been included in the papers sent
to members prior to the meeting.

The themes put forward for circulating coins for 2019 and 2020, as
detailed below, were endorsed.
2019
D-Day - £2
Wedgwood - £2
Sherlock Holmes - 50p
Paddington - 50p
2020
VE Day - £2
Mayflower - £2
Winnie the Pooh - 50p
Team GB - 50p
The Committee was informed that the Chancellor was in favour of a
United Kingdom coin being issued to mark Britain’s departure from the
European Union. Design guidance was offered by the Committee which
the Secretary undertook to reflect in the design brief given to artists.
With respect to other themes under consideration, it was noted that there
would be anniversaries coming up in the years ahead for some of the
characters of P. G. Woodhouse’s novels. Although the Royal Mint had
looked into this theme previously and it had not been regarded as
commercially viable, there was a request that further consideration be
given to it.
Item 11.0
Other business
The Chairman noted that Adam Lawrence, former Deputy Master of the
Royal Mint, had been awarded an OBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours.

The Committee rose at 4.15pm

Advisory  Committee  on  the
Design  of  Coins, Medals,
Seals  and  Decorations

Minutes

292nd Meeting
Central Saint Martins
11.00am Tuesday 25th September 2018

Present
Lord Waldegrave of North Hill (Chairman)
Professor Phil Baines
Professor Nick Mayhew
Mr Hughie O’Donoghue RA
Professor Jane Ridley
Lieutenant Colonel Mike Vernon
Mr Edmund de Waal OBE
Mr Thomas Woodcock CVO DL

Dr Kevin Clancy (Secretary)
Mr Lee Jones (Royal Mint Coin Design Department)

Apologies
Mrs Blondel Cluff
Dr Nicholas Cullinan
Ms Nicola Howell
Mrs Anne Jessopp

Item 1.0
Minutes of 291st meeting
The minutes of the meeting held on Thursday 21st June 2018 at
Buckingham Palace were approved and signed by the Chairman.
Item 2.0
75th anniversary of VE Day, 2020 (Circulating two-pound coin
and collector kilo and five-ounce coins)
Designs had been short listed at the meeting in June for VE Day
circulating and collector coins and revisions had been made to one of
these, images of which had been circulated in advance of the meeting. A
concern had been expressed within the Royal Mint that two of the options

  looked too similar and, with that in mind, it had been requested the

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Committee review all the designs submitted previously to see if any might
have potential.
2.1
Circulating two-pound coin
After some discussion, members confirmed they were happy with the
selection of A1 and B3 made at the meeting in June and had no further
amendments to add to those already put forward. It was agreed that
models of these two would be presented at the meeting in December.
2.2
Kilo and five ounce coins
Mrs Jessopp spoke in favour of C1 and the Chairman liked the use of the
Churchill quotation.  Professor Mayhew

agreed because it reflected,
through the presence of the flags of many nations, the involvement of
other Allied powers. The correct crown as used during the reign of George
VI, Mr Woodcock noted, should be shown and he undertook to supply the
correct reference.  Pro

fessor Baines wanted to see IN reduced in size and
felt it would be better to dispense with TH as part of the date.
These amendments were agreed and the requirement for an edge
inscription would be raised at the meeting in December.
Item 3.0
Paddington fifty pence piece, 2019 (Circulating coin)
Two designs had been selected at the last meeting, one depicting
Paddington in front of St Paul’s Cathedral and the other with the Tower of
London as a backdrop. Models of both had been prepared and
photographs had been sent to members some days prior to the meeting.
3.1
Tower of London
Members were largely content with the design presented but Professor
Mayhew requested Paddington be made to look a little less like he was
emerging from a wind tunnel.
3.2
St Paul’s Cathedral
The same observation was made with respect to the windswept nature of
how Paddington had been modelled in this instance as well. In addition,
Mr de Waal  thought the perspective of the right arm was not correct and
he requested the Greenland-like cloud formation be removed. The
Chairman wanted to ensure that the writing on the label would be legible
and, with these comments noted, members were happy to approve the
design.
Item 4.0
400th anniversary of the Mayflower two-pound coin, 2020
(Circulating and bullion coins)
Two designers had been asked to submit designs on the theme of the
400th anniversary of the sailing of the Mayflower from Plymouth to
America. Photographs of the resulting artwork had been sent to members
in advance of the meeting.
As a general observation applying to all the designs under consideration,
the Chairman requested the accuracy of the ships be checked with a
maritime expert.
4.1
Circulating two-pound coin
The work of Designer B immediately appealed to members and, in
particular, B1 seemed to capture a sense of energy and dynamism.  Mrs
Jessopp supported it, as did the Chairman and, while Professor Baines  did
not dissent, he thought the lettering need not be italicised. He also wanted

to see simplified versions of the M and R of MAYFLOWER. Mr

Woodcock wondered if this ship would have been flying the Union and St
George’s flags. The Secretary undertook to find out and he also agreed to
look into why the moon formed part of the design. With these comments
in mind the Committee was content to see the design modelled.
4.2
Bullion coin
With repsect to the bullion version, members were attracted to A3.  Mrs
Jessopp thought its highly detailed nature would make it sympathetic to
the manufacturing process for bullion coins. Members were happy to
endorse this view and the Secretary agreed to check the accuracy of the
anchor at the bottom of the design.
Item 5.0
Team GB fifty pence, 2020 (Circulating and collector coins)
Approval had been received to issue a fifty pence piece in 2020 on the
theme of the Great British team which will be competing in the Tokyo
Olympic Games. The work of two artists had been sent to members a few
days prior to the meeting.
Professor Mayhew did not care for the words ‘Believe in Extraordinary’.
While he did not object to the sentiment, the poor grammar offended him
and other members agreed.  Mr de Waal thought B1 had succeeded in
bringing the subject matter alive and making it seem fun.  Mr O’Donoghue
also liked the design but thought it best to drop TOKYO since its inclusion
would probably not be allowed by the IOC. He requested that a version be
developed with the Team GB logo in the centre as in B2. The Chairman
and other members were happy with this recommendation and an
amended version would be presented at the meeting in December.
Item 6.0
Lunar Year of the Rat, 2020 (Collector and bullion coins)
At the last meeting a design had been selected for use on collector coins,
with an adapted version of the same for use on bullion coins. Models had
since been prepared, photographs of which had been circulated to
members prior to the meeting.
The Chairman was content with the way in which the rat had been
modelled and he was supported in this view by other members. A number
of detailed comments had been raised by an expert in this aspect of
Chinese culture which would, if possible, be accommodated.
Item 7.0
Wallace and Gromit fifty pence piece, 2019 (Collector coin)
At the meeting in June a single design had been recommended and a
model had since been worked up, images of which had been sent to
members in advance of the meeting. The modelled version had been
shown to Aardman Animations and they were entirely happy with the
result.
Members were reminded that the Latin inscription, CASEUS
PRAESTANS, could be translated as CRACKING CHEESE. There were no
dissenting voices around the table and the design, as modelled, was
approved by the Committee.
Item 8.0
British scientists (Collector coins)
8.1
Stephen Hawking fifty pence, 2019
Approval had been obtained to develop a series of coins based on the

  theme of great British scientists and a provisional list had been drawn up

which included Stephen Hawking. A number of designers had therefore
been approached and images of the resulting artwork had been sent to
members some days prior to the meeting.
Mr de Waal prefaced the discussion by saying how encouraged he was to
see science being promoted through the medium of coinage. The
Chairman liked B5 in large part because of the intriguing way in which the
black hole had been rendered and Professor Baines thought its being offset
made it even more compelling. The work of Designer A was supported by
Mr de Waal who thought it would be fascinating to show such a level of
mathematical detail, while Profes
  sor Ridley thought E2 had potential.
After further discussion B5 emerged with the strongest level of support
and it was decided to take only that design forward for further
development.  Professor Baines  requested the lettering be altered to a style
less like a gift card and versions would be developed with and without the
denomination.
Item 9.0
Agatha Christie two-pound coin, 2020 (Collector coin)
Designs had been commissioned for a new United Kingdom coin to be
issued to mark the 100th anniversarsy of the publication of Agatha
Christie’s first novel. Several artists had accepted the invitation to submit
designs and images of their work had been circulated to members some
days before the meeting.
The jigsaw puzzle approach adopted by Designer A appealed to the
Chairman and, in particular, A2 seemed to him the best.  Mr O’Donoghue
agreed, reflecting that Christie’s books were puzzle-like in their structure.
Mr Jones expressed reservations about the level of detail it would be
possible to reproduce on A2 because of the way in which the design had
been constructed. It was, as a result, suggested it be simplyfied somewhat.
Mr de Waal thought A9 was worth considering and the Chairman readily
agreed, with Professor Baines  requesting the weight of the lines making up
the maze be somewhat lightened. It was resolved that A2 and A9 would
be taken forward for further development.
Item 10.0
Beatrix Potter fifty pence, 2019 (Collector coin)
Continuing the very successful series of coins issued on the theme of
characters from Beatrix Potter’s books, two new designs had been
prepared for release next year. The subjects in this instance were Peter
Rabbit and Samuel Whiskers. They had been drawn by Emma Noble, the
Royal Mint designer who had prepared the artwork and models for all the
coins issued so far. Images had been sent to members prior to the
meeting.
The Chairman was happy with the artwork presented and other members
of the Committee also gave their approval.
Item 11.0
200th anniversary of the death of George III crown piece, 2020
(Collector coin)
A number of artists had been invited to submit designs for a crown piece
to be issued in 2020 to mark the 200th anniversary of the death of George
III. Images of the artwork from those involved had been sent to members
some days prior to the meeting.
The Chairman thought C2 was well balanced but Mr Woodcock indicated
the crown would need to be changed and undertook to supply reference. It

was suggested that the rural scenes either side of the central portrait could
be made clearer and it was requested other ways in which George III’s
contribution could be symbolised be put forward. Mr Woodcock spoke in
favour of D2 and it was suggested the coinage portrait of George III by
Benedetto Pistrucci be used for this design as it had in C2. It was pointed
out that the numbers on the spines of the books in D2 should read from
left to right and the other symbols, it was hoped, could be drawn with
greater clarity.
The Secretary agreed to pass these comments on to the artists concerned
with a view to examining models in December.
Item 12.0
Snowman fifty pence, 2019 (Collector coin)
A coin on the theme of the Snowman had been approved for release in
2018 and designs had been approved by the Committee some months ago.
It was planned to issue another coin drawing inspiration from the same
story next year and designs had accordingly been prepared, photographs
of which had been circulated to members in advance of the meeting.
Of the three drawings presented members were happy to recommend
Option 2 without further amendment.
Item 13.0
Other business
13.1
Brexit fifty pence, 2019
The Committee examined designs for a fifty pence piece to be issued in
2019 to mark Britain’s exit from the European Union. It was decided to
recommend a design based on lettering which made use of the inscription
PEACE, PROSPERITY AND FRIENDSHIP WITH ALL NATIONS.

The Committee rose at 12.15pm

Advisory  Committee  on  the
Design  of  Coins, Medals,
Seals  and  Decorations

Minutes
293rd Meeting
Cutlers’ Hall
11.00am Tuesday 11th December 2018

Present

Lord Waldegrave of North Hill (Chairman)

Professor Phil Baines

Dr Kevin Clancy (Secretary)

Mrs Blondel Cluff

Ms Nicola Howell

Mrs Anne Jessopp

Mr Lee Jones (Technical adviser, Royal Mint Coin Design)

Professor Jane Ridley

Lieutenant Colonel Mike Vernon

Mr Thomas Woodcock CVO DL

Apologies
Dr Nicholas Cullinan
Mr Edmund de Waal OBE
Professor Nick Mayhew
Mr Hughie O’Donoghue RA
Item 1.0
Minutes of 292nd meeting
The minutes of the meeting held on Tuesday 25th September 2018 at
Central Saint Martins were approved and signed by the Chairman.
Item 2.0
75th anniversary of VE Day, 2020 (Circulating two-pound and
collector kilo and five-ounce coins)
Three designs had been short listed at the meeting in September and
models for each had since been prepared, photographs of which had been
sent to members some days prior to the meeting. It was noted that two
designs were required, one for a two-pound circulating coin and another
that will be used on kilo and five-ounce coins.

   The options that were most strongly supported were Design A and Design

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B, the view being that Design C had more of an Edwardian feel and so did
not fit the time period of the mid-1940s. Opinion ultimately resolved in
favour of Design B for the circulating coin because it had a simple and
clear message, while the more intricate nature of Design A would be better
suited to the larger format of the kilo and five-ounce coins.
2.1
Circulating two-pound coin – Design B
Mrs Cluff observed that 1945 should be added to the 2020 date, otherwise
the anniversary may not be sufficiently clear. The Chariman liked the
design and Mr Woodcock also spoke in favour of it, both feeling it would
work well as a circulating coin. The Secretary noted that the design was
the work of Stephen Taylor.
2.2
Kilo and five ounce coins – Design A
Mrs Jessopp liked the intricacy of the design but Professor Baines
regarded the choice of font for the numerals at the top as somewhat
misjudged. He also questioned the repetition of the word VICTORY but it
was decided, on further reflection, to keep the repetition but to make the
words stand out more from the background texture. It was also hoped the
crowd could be modelled with greater clarity. The Secretary noted that the
design was the work of Dominique Evans.
Item 3.0
400th anniversary of the Mayflower two-pound, 2020
(Circulating and Bullion coins)
Two designs had been selected at the last meeting, one for a circulating
two-pound coin and the other for use on bullion coins. Models of both had
been prepared and images had been sent to members a few days prior to
the meeting.
3.1
Circulating two-pound coin – Design B
Professor Baines thought the revised typeface an improvement and he
liked the dynamic quality captured in the modelling of the ship. Mr
Woodcock was concerned about the appearance of the Union Flag and St
George’s cross at the top of the two masts on the grounds that it could not
be proven beyond doubt that the ship would have flown these flags. It was
therefore agreed to remove any design details and show blank flags as on
Design A.
The edge inscription recommended was UNDERTAKEN FOR THE
GLORY OF GOD, the first line from the Mayflower Compact. The
Secretary reported that the design was the work of Chris Costello, an
American artist who had also been approached by the United States Mint
to design their coin on the same theme.
3.2
Bullion coin – Design A
Of the two options presented for the bullion coin, the Chariman preferred
the one with the anchor and Mrs Cluf

f a lso thought the anchor’s inclusion
a good idea. No amendments were put forward and the Secretary reported
that the winning artist was John Bergdahl.
Item 4.0
Team GB fifty pence, 2020 (Circulating and collector coins)
At the meeting in September members preferred a single design which
represented all the sports of the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games through
pictograms. Two versions of this design had since been worked up and
images circulated a few days before the meeting.

The Chairman noted that attempting to summarise all sports through a

single design was always a difficult brief but Designer B had created a well
balanced design and Ms Howell regarded it as an engaging response.
Professor Ridley wondered if the governing body had been shown the
design to ensure no sports had been omitted and that all the icons were
correct. It was noted that the governing body had been consulted and was
content. Nevertheless, there was some doubt about whether rowing had
been represented and the Secretary undertook to look into it.
Of the two options presented the Chairman preferred revised design 2, in
part because he thought the Team GB lion looked better without the
rectangular frame. With no other comments being put forward, the
Secretary reported that the winning artist was David Knapton.
Item 5.0
Agatha Christie two-pound, 2020 (Collector coin)
Two designs had been short listed at the meeting in September and they
had since been developed into three options, images of which had been
sent to members during the week prior to the meeting.
Of the two main routes presented, the jigsaw puzzle and the maze, Colonel
Vernon preferred the jigsaw approach but thought it had gone backwards
in translation to model form. Mrs Cluff a greed, pointing out that the
individual pieces of the jigsaw could be given clearer outlines and the
space left by the missing piece could be made to look more three-
dimentional. For the Chairman, the maze did not convey the sense of
Agatha Christie’s work as strongly as the jigsaw idea and he wondered if
the icons from the original drawing could be introduced in simplified form
to the surface of the individual pieces.
The inscription was judged too complicated and it was agreed to have
AGATHA CHRISTIE around the top of the design, 100 YEARS OF
MYSTERY around the middle and her signature at the bottom.
The Secretary agreed to convey this feedback to the artist with the
intention of presenting a revised design to the Committee at the next
meeting.
Item 6.0
200th anniversary of the death of George III crown piece, 2020
(Collector coin)
At the last meeting two designs had been selected. Amendments had been
made addressing comments put forward by members and models had
been prepared, photographs of which had been sent to members in
advance of the meeting.
From the start of the discussion there was no particular support for Design
D, with Colonel Vernon thinking it in no way as strong as Design C. Given
that the purpose of the coin was to symbolise the achievements of George
III’s reign, it was requested that confirmation be obtained of a strong link
between the Royal Observatory and the king. Mr Woodcock requested
that the crown be amended and also the accuracy of the cypher checked,
providing the Secretary with reference to that end.
For the edge inscription it was agreed to recommend I GLORY IN THE
NAME OF BRITAIN. The Secretary reported that the winning artist was
Dominique Evans.

Item 7.0
Snowman fifty pence, 2019 (Collector coin)
A design had been selected at the last meeting and a model had since been
prepared, images of which had been sent to members in advance of the
meeting.
Having reviewed the model, members were content to endorse the design
without amendment.
Item 8.0
250th anniversary of the birth of William Wordsworth two-
pound, 2020 (Collector coin)
Designs had been examined for a coin to commemorate the work of
William Wordsworth at the meeting in June and artwork by Designer B
had been selected. Two models had since been prepared, images of which
had been circulated to members during the week before the meeting. In
addition, the artist had put forward some alternative options for
consideration.
The Chairman sympathised with the view from the Royal Mint that the
designs were rather text heavy and personally he hoped a coin in honour of
Wordsworth could step beyond daffodils.  Of the designs presented,
Option 2 was the most strongly supported but it was requested that the
wording from revised model 2, NATURE NEVER DID BETRAY THE
HEART THAT LOVED HER, replace the existing quotation.  Mr
Woodcock th ought some of the designs had the air of postcards and, in
conveying feedback received from Mr de Waa l, the Secretary noted that he
regarded the approach generally as too sentimental. A more rugged
treatment was thought to marry better with much of the tone of
Wordsworth’s poetry and, to meet this observation, it was suggested that
designs be prepared showing the mountainous landscape of the Lake
District. It was also requested that designs featuring Dove Cottage set
within a landscape be developed.  Mrs Cluff wo ndered if the presence of
daffodils could be restricted to small decorative motifs in the margins and,
if used at all, the Chairman requested that they be the smaller wild variety.
The Secretary undertook to convey this feedback to the artist with the
intention of reviewing revised designs at the next meeting.
Item 9.0
Tower of London, series II, 2020 (Collector coins)
The first series of coins on the theme of the Tower of London had been
well received and a second had therefore been developed. Other elements
of Tower history would be explored in the second series and the subjects
covered would include, imprisonment, the White Tower, the Royal Mint
and the Menagerie. A number of designers had been approached and
photographs of the resulting artwork circulated to members a fews days
prior to the meeting.
The Chairman was taken with the work of Designer A but M
  rs Cluff
thought the use of the three lions of England might look like a locked-up
football team and she regarded it as a somewhat confusing way to
represent a Menagerie.  Professor Baines  agreed with the Chairman in
supporting Designer A, with both Set 1 and Set 2 having clear merit. The
work of Designer B was judged too obscure by the Chairman and there was
little support for the approach taken by Designer C in this instance. No
specific amendments were put forward with respect to Designer A’s work

and Set 1 was in the end judged the stronger of the two. There remained

for Mrs Cluff a hope that a different approach could be taken to the
representation of animals in A2.
Item 10.0
Music Legends – Queen, 2020 (Collector coin)
It was intended to issue a series of coins on the theme of British music
legends and the first band for which designs had been developed was
Queen. Artwork had been created in colaboration with the licence holder
acting on behalf of the band and images had been circulated to members
in advance of the meeting.
The Chairman has not happy with the options presented. He and other
members felt there was a distinct lack of variety and the single approach
taken was not at all their taste. It was requested that the Royal Mint
return to the licence holder and request much greater flexibility in how the
visual assets could be interpreted.
Item 11.0
Two Lions, 2020 (Bullion coin)
Some months ago a design for a bullion coin based on British and Chinese
dragons had been approved by the Committee and it had been very well
received. It had therefore been proposed that a coin be issued on the
theme of British and Chinese lions. Designs had been commissioned from
one artist and photographs of the three options had been sent to members
prior to the meeting.
The Chairman liked the quality of the artwork and Mrs Cluff a greed,
preferring either Option 1 or 2. Opinion resolved in favour of Option 1 on
the grounds that in Option 2 it appeared as if the Chinese lion were
pushing a football onto the head of the British lion. No amendments were
suggested but it was requested that the accuracy of the Chinese lion be
checked. The Secretary noted that the artist was Timothy Noad
.
Item 12.0
Other business
12.1
Queen’s Beast series – White Horse of Hanover (Collector and
Bullion coins)
A modelled version of the White Horse of Hanover was presented at the
meeting and members were happy to approve it without further
amendments. The Chairman and other members stressed how much they
liked the series and the hope was expressed that another use for the
designs could be found.

12.2
Wider Service Medal
Colonel Vernon noted that the Committee would be reviewing designs at
the meeting in March for a new official medal, the Wider Service Medal.

The Committee rose at 12.25pm

Advisory  Committee  on  the
Design  of  Coins, Medals,
Seals  and  Decorations

Minutes

294th Meeting
The Royal Mint
11.30am Thursday 21st March 2019

Present
Lord Waldegrave of North Hill (Chairman)
Professor Phil Baines
Dr Kevin Clancy (Secretary)
Ms Nicola Howell
Mrs Anne Jessopp
Mr Lee Jones (Technical adviser, Royal Mint Coin Design)
Lieutenant Colonel Andy Lucas (Ministry of Defence)
Professor Nick Mayhew
Ms Clare Morgan
Professor Jane Ridley
Lieutenant Colonel Mike Vernon
Mr Edmund de Waal OBE
Mr Thomas Woodcock CVO DL

Apologies
Mrs Blondel Cluff CBE
Dr Nicholas Cullinan
Mr Hughie O’Donoghue RA

Item 1.0
Minutes of 293rd meeting
The minutes of the meeting held on Tuesday 11th December 2018 at
Cutlers’ Hall were approved and signed by the Chairman.
Ms Howell noted that revised designs for Wordsworth were not being
presented at the meeting but that it would be on the agenda for a future
occasion and the Chairman was relieved to hear the theme had not been
dropped.

PROTECT - COMMERCIAL IN CONFIDENCE

Item 2.0
Wider Service Medal
A number of artists had been invited to submit designs for a new official
medal to be called the Wider Service Medal (WSM). A summary of the
eligibility criteria for the medal had been circulated in advance of the
meeting, together with images of the designs prepared.

Lieutenant Colonel Lucas summarised the circumstances in which the
medal would be awarded and noted that options for the ribbon had not yet
been drawn up. He noted that A1 captured well the remit to be covered by
the medal in showing symbols of land, sea and air but the belt in the centre
was not liked and there would be questions about which part of the globe
should be shown. In response to a question, he confirmed that the
wording should be FOR WIDER SERVICE. His other stated preference
was for B2 because the four arrows suggested global coverage and the
presence of the laurel symbolised success.
The Chariman was not keen on any of the designs featuring hands,
commenting that A3 reminded him of a Christmas pudding, but he was
taken with B1 and B2.  Mr de Waal did not care for the hands or the
lettering of B1 but he strongly supported B2 which he judged dignified
and looked like an official should.  For Mr Woodcock , B2 was much the
best of the designs presented and other members expressed their support.
The Secretary indicated that the design would now be modelled in time for
the meeting in June.
Item 3.0
75th anniversary of the end of the Second World War, 2020
(Collector coin)
At the Theme Selection Sub-Committee meeting in February it was
decided to change the focus of how the 75th anniversary of the end of the
Second World War should be commemorated so that the War as a whole
rather than just VE Day would be marked. With this in mind, a new
design brief had been prepared and issued to a number of artists. The
outcome was 29 designs, photographs of which had been sent to members
some days prior to the meeting.
The Chairman was not hugely impressed with the quality of response to
the subject matter.  Professor Mayhew drew attention to the dove, as
represented in A4, but for Professor Baines it reminded him too much of
the logo for twitter and instead he thought A5 had more potential.  Mr de
Waal appreciated the difficulties the artists were confronting in employing
symbolic abstractions of war and peace through images of doves or
wording but he regarded these as legitimate responses to the subject
matter. The question for him was whether other artists would be capable
of exploring a more sculptural approach both in relation to the dove and
lettering. The names suggested to take on the re-imagining of the dove
from A4 included Nicola Hicks, Paul Day and Antony Dufort, and for the
lettering-based design as presented in A5, Gary Breeze and Richard
Kindersley were suggested. In reflecting further how A5 might be
developed, Professor Baines  wondered if the word PEACE could be given
more emphasis than WAR and if the sense of the words as monumental
inscriptions could be more strongly conveyed.
The Secretary agreed to look into re-briefing along the lines suggested by
members.

Item 4.0
Agatha Christie two-pound, 2020 (Collector coin)
A design based on a jigsaw puzzle had been selected at the last meeting,
with the request that it be amended to allow symbols of a simpler nature
from Agatha Christie’s novels to be incorporated. The changes had been
made and images of how the design had developed had been sent to
members a few days prior to the meeting.

The Chairman expressed support for the underlying concept of the design
but he felt it had somehow lost its coherence. The Secretary reported that
Mrs Cluff , in notes she had provided before the meeting, agreed the design
lacked legibility, which for her was particularly apparent in relation to the
absence of a sense of depth to convey the hole left by the missing jigsaw
piece.  Mr de Waa l thought the line around the outer inscription added
unnecessarily to the weight of detail, prompting him to suggest its
removal, as well as that of the diamond motifs. With the same line of
reasoning in mind, Mrs Jessopp wanted to see the name AGATHA
CHRISTIE removed from the top and the phrase, 100 YEARS OF
MYSTERY repositioned to take up the space. The signature at the bottom
of the design still provided a reference to the author and Professor Ridley
argued for losing the dates to free up the outer band still further. Other
members readily agreed to these changes. Additional suggestions directed
simplification were put forward with respect to reducing the overall
number of jigsaw pieces and replacing the cup and saucer with the
revolver.  Professor Baines  requested that a typeface from the 1930s be
employed to provide the design with a period feel.
All these comments were accepted and the Secretary undertook to pass
them on to the artist. As far as an edge inscription was concerned, the
Committee favoured LITTLE GREY CELLS.
Item 5.0
Tower of London series II, 2020
A set of designs was selected at the last meeting exploring the themes of
the White Tower, the Royal Mint, the Menagerie and the Prison. The set
was endorsed without any significant amendments but three alternative
options had been developed with respect to the Menagerie and the Prison
based on ideas submitted by the same artist last time. Images of all these
options had been circulated to members a few days prior to the meeting.
The Chairman did not care for the alternative designs and Pro

fessor Ridley
agreed, seeing in the executioner’s axe a strong resemblance to a golf club.
The three lions from the original designs were regarded by  Mr de Waal  as
powerfully drawn and he could not readily conceive of a better solution.
For Professor Baines  the lettering for the Prison coin was grounded in an
authentic Tower story and should therefore be retained.
The conclusion was to progress to models based on the original designs
selected by the Committee and the Secretary noted that the artist was the
herald painter Timothy Noad.
Item 6.0
British Red Cross two-pound coin, 2020 (Circulating coin)
Approval had been received to release a United Kingdom two-pound coin
in 2020 to mark the 150th anniversary of the British Red Cross. A number
of artists had been approached to prepare designs and photographs of the
artwork had been sent to members in advance of the meeting.

  The Chairman indicated that he was not initially overwhelmed by the

qualtiy of response to the brief but Lieutenan
  t Colonel Vernon spoke in
favour of B1 and wondered if, as a truly international organisation, the
globe could occupy more of the centre of the design. The anniversary
dates could then be placed in the area occupied by the South Atlantic. In a
effort to simplify the design, it was thought unnecessary to repeat
BRITISH RED CROSS around the central cross and, in looking at another
option, A6, there was agreement that the same change could usefully be
made to that design as well.  Mr Woodcock pointed out that heraldically a
red cross was represented by vertical lines and alternative versions of A6
and B1 could be developed rendered in this way.
It was acknowledged that the British Red Cross would need to be
consulted on some of the changes put forward but the Secretary undertook
to ensure this was pursued.
Item 7.0
Britannia, 2020 (Commemorative and bullion coins)
As had been the case for several years, designs on the theme of Britannia
had been commissioned for commemorative and bullion coins, and one
was now required for use in 2020. A number of artists had been
approached and images of the artwork prepared had been sent to
members in advance of the meeting.
The work of Designer B captured the attention of a number of members,
with support being expressed initially for B2 and B3.  Mrs Cl uff had noted
her preference for B2 but discussion moved to B1, provided the artist
could make the figure look a good deal more heroic.  Mrs Jess opp  liked the
idea of Britannia being draped in a flowing Union Flag and, while not
disagreeing, the Chairman wanted to see a much larger shield, together
with a more clearly defined background.  Professor Mayhew judged
Britannia’s head in B1 to be too small and he too wanted to see a more
dynamic figure drawn with great strength. As an alternative, opinion
moved in favour of E1, but accompanied by the same request for a
Britannia more idomitable in form and spirit.
The Secretary agreed to pass on these observations to the two artists
concerned.
Item 8.0
Dinosauria series, 2020 (Commemorative coins)
Approval had been received to issue a series of coins on the theme of
Dinosaurs, with the intention being to highlight a British link and to give
the series an educational focus. The use of colour had been stressd in the
design brief and was directed at showing what it was thought dinosaurs
actually looked like. Two artists had been approached, both of whom were
specialists in palaeontological art, and images of the designs they had
created had been forward on to members some days prior to the meeting.
Mr de Waal thought it excellent that there were artists who specialised in
this type of work and congratulated the Royal Mint on enlisting them for
the project. The Chairman expressed a clear preference for Designer A,
singling out A2, A4 and A8.  Professor Baines  agreed and all other
members were happy to endorse this view, regarding the designs as
particularly well drawn.

  Item 9.0
Rosalind Franklin fifty pence, 2020 (Commemorative coin)
Approval had been received to issue a coin celebrating the achievements of
Rosalind Franklin as part of an ongoing series on the theme of British
Science and Scientists. A number of artists had been approached and their
response to the brief resulted in the submission of 31 designs, images of
which had been sent to members in advance of the meeting.
The Chairman was pleased to see Rosalind Franklin  being celebrated in
this way but he recognised it could prove difficult to represent her work
through a representation of the famous Photograph 51.  For Mrs Jessopp
the scientific contribution itself should be regarded almost as important as
the individual and this approach had been reflected in the designs so far
approved as part of the series.  Mr de Waal agreed that the Stephen
Hawking coin had encapsulated a complex idea beautifully and he hoped
the same could be achieved in this instance. He liked the graphic strength
and simplicity of B5, while the Chairman was attracted to B7, in part
because of its off-centre view. A similar approach had been adopted in B3,
but with the image flipped to the left and this design attracted the support
of Mr de Waa l. The play on the end characters of her name in forming
DNA in B2 it was suggested could be applied to B3 and the reference to
PHOTOGRAPH 51 from B4 could also be added to the B3 design. As for
B5, the Chairman thought it could be improved if there were a greater
sense of perspective.
The Secretary agreed to pass on the suggestions put forward to Designer B,
with the intention of having models for review at the next meeting.
Item 10.0
Report from the Sub-Committee on the Selection of Themes
A meeting of the Sub-Committee on the Selection of Themes for United
Kingdom coins had been held on 14th February. The minutes of the
meeting had been circulated to members a few days earlier.

Themes recommended by the Sub-Committee were endorsed but some

additional observations were made. It was intended to issue a series of

coins on the theme of the Platinum Jubilee in the lead up to the

anniversary in 2022. The idea of representing the Commonwealth more

strongly was noted and exploring the theme of diversity was suggested

could be achieved through this series.

Thomas Woodcock noted that there was an overlap between the proposed

King’s Beasts series and the Queen’s Beasts. It was agreed that this would

be borne in mind.

In view of the large number of war-related coins that had been issued in
the last few years, the Second World War series should be approached in a
consciously different way.

The idea of celebrating female literary figures was discussed and received

support. Suggestions included, George Eliot, the Brontë sisters, Mrs

Gaskell, Virginia Woolf, Vita Sackville-West, Katharine Mansfield and

Christiana Rosetti. It was agreed that all these suggestions would be

researched.

Item 11.0
Other business
11.1
Two lions
It had not been possible to circulate revised designs for a coin on the
theme of the Chinese and British lions in advance but member had the
opportunity to review the artwork at the meeting. The designs were
endorsed without further amendment.

The Committee rose at 1.08pm