The UK’s Royal Mint Makes History with a New Coin Featuring Britannia as a Woman of Color

The Royal Mint, the British maker tasked with producing all of the UK’s coinage, has released a new limited edition coin design depicting the national icon Britannia as a woman of color for the first time.

{snip} The weapon-clad warrior woman became a personification of the British Isles and has fronted the country’s currency since 1672.

2021 Britannia Coin

Designed by renowned artist, P.J. Lynch, the mint comes as part of the 2021 Britannia collection — a flagship coin series that issues a new design each year.

In a statement sent to CNN Style, Clare Maclennan, The Royal Mint’s director of commemorative coins, said “Britannia is an enduring symbol of the people, and as the nation evolves it is right that her image should evolve too.”

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