UK launches commemorative coin in honour of Paul McCartney

 

“It’s a great honor,” said the 82-year-old famed musician and songwriter, who worked with the Royal Mint on the design of these collectible coins.

The Royal Mint has launched a commemorative £5 coin celebrating Sir Paul McCartney’s remarkable music career. This marks the first time the legendary musician has been featured on an official UK coin. The design includes elements reflecting his career, such as his iconic “Magic Piano,” a Höfner violin bass guitar, and the Wings logo. McCartney himself approved the design and described the honor as “huge” and completely unexpected [oai_citation:6,U.K.’s Royal Mint Celebrates Paul McCartney with a Commemorative Coin](https://americansongwriter.com/u-k-s-royal-mint-celebrates-paul-mccartney-with-a-commemorative-coin/) [oai_citation:5,Paul McCartney | News | The Royal Mint launches official Paul McCartney coin](https://www.paulmccartney.com/news/the-royal-mint-honours-paul-with-his-own-coin).

Additionally, a unique plectrum-shaped coin made from sustainable gold—recovered from e-waste—was created as a one-off gift for McCartney, inspired by his use of pennies as guitar picks in his early days. The Royal Mint plans to auction a signed five-kilo gold version of the coin in early 2025, alongside four silver editions [oai_citation:4,Paul McCartney | News | The Royal Mint launches official Paul McCartney coin](https://www.paulmccartney.com/news/the-royal-mint-honours-paul-with-his-own-coin) [oai_citation:3,Sir Paul McCartney ‘honoured’ to be celebrated with £5 Royal Mint coin | ITV News Granada](https://www.itv.com/news/granada/2024-12-06/sir-paul-mccartney-honoured-to-be-celebrated-with-5-royal-mint-coin).

The coin is available in various finishes, including colorized editions, with prices starting at £15.50. It’s the latest in a series of tributes by the Royal Mint to British music legends, which has previously honored icons like David Bowie and Elton John [oai_citation:2,U.K.’s Royal Mint Celebrates Paul McCartney with a Commemorative Coin](https://americansongwriter.com/u-k-s-royal-mint-celebrates-paul-mccartney-with-a-commemorative-coin/) [oai_citation:1,Sir Paul McCartney ‘honoured’ to be celebrated with £5 Royal Mint coin | ITV News Granada](https://www.itv.com/news/granada/2024-12-06/sir-paul-mccartney-honoured-to-be-celebrated-with-5-royal-mint-coin).