The U.K.'s Royal Mint has released a new range of commemorative coins saluting The Who, marking only the fourth time that a British music artist has been celebrated on the country's coinage.
The new coin features a design that combines images alluding to various aspects of The Who's career: The band's mod bulls-eye logo and a guitar decorated with a Union Jack flag smashing into a speaker, along with a pinball and flippers from a pinball machine.
The guitar and speaker commemorates the record The Who once held for the loudest concert ever, while the pinball elements are a nod to the band's classic 1969 rock opera Tommy and its hit song "Pinball Wizard."
Who frontman Roger Daltrey paid a visit recently to The Royal Mint to strike one of the first coins of the series.
The coin, which can be purchased online now, is available in copper/nickel, gold and silver in a number of denominations.
"It's an honor to have a coin produced to celebrate The Who's musical legacy," Daltrey says in a statement. "The coin's design captures the true essence of the band and what we represent. It was a fantastic moment being able to strike one of the very first pieces in the collection and see the range of technologies and processes involved in the making of the coin."
Adds guitarist/songwriter Pete Townshend, "I am delighted that the band's work is being recognized by this fantastic range of coins from The Royal Mint."
The Who collectible coin is the fourth installment of The Royal Mint's "Music Legends" series. Previous coins have paid tribute to Queen, David Bowie and Elton John.
For more information and to buy the Who coin, visit RoyalMint.com.
Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.
