The Royal Mint Unveils Official United Kingdom Coin Program to Mark the 80th Anniversary of the D-Day Landings

Commemorating “the last landmark anniversary of D-Day to be observed by those who served,” the coins were created with input from experts at the Imperial War Museums.

The Royal Mint has unveiled a new United Kingdom coin program to mark the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings.

The coins were created with input from experts at the Imperial War Museums and feature a design by David Lawrence on the reverse that depicts Allied soldiers disembarking a landing craft onto the beaches of Normandy with offensive aircraft in the sky above.

The design is accompanied by the inscription D-DAY 6 JUNE 1944 UTAH OMAHA GOLD JUNO SWORD, which are the code names given to the five assault beaches that formed part of “Operation Overlord.”

To mark the coins’ release, French sand artist Jehan-Benjamin Tarain, with support from fellow sand artist Sam Dougados, has recreated the D-Day 80th anniversary coin design on “Gold” beach, where nearly 25,000 men of the British 50th Division landed. At 35 meters in diameter, the sand art took 5 hours and 30 minutes to create.

Jehan-Benjamin (also known as Jben), said, “This project has been extremely special. The Royal Mint’s commemorative coin marking the 80th anniversary of D-Day is a fitting tribute to all that served during World War II. My team and I feel very fortunate to have played a role in helping to translate the craftsmanship seen in the design of this coin into a piece of sand art on one of the beaches where troops landed. This collaboration plays an important reminder of the united allied effort between French and British forces 80 years ago.”

These D-Day coins are the first release in a new selection of military-themed coins from the Royal Mint.

All of these coins carry the Martin Jennings effigy of King Charles III on the obverse.

The Brilliant Uncirculated copper-nickel 50-penny coin weighs 8 grams and measures 27.3 millimeters in diameter. With an unlimited mintage, it retails for £12 each.

The Proof .925 fine silver 50-penny coin weighs 8 grams and measures 27.3 millimeters in diameter. Of its mintage limit of 6,610 pieces, 5,000 pieces are available individually for £61 each.

The Proof .925 fine silver piedfort 50-penny coin weighs 16 grams and measures 27.3 millimeters in diameter. 

Of its mintage limit of 1,954 pieces, 1,944 are available individually for £113.50 each.

The Proof 1/40-ounce .9999 fine gold 50-penny coin weighs 0.80 grams and measures 8 millimeters in diameter.

Of its mintage limit of 2,034 pieces, 2,024 are available individually for £99.50 each.

The Proof .9167 fine gold 50-penny coin weighs 15.5 grams and measures 27.3 millimeters in diameter.

It has a mintage limit of 470 pieces, with 350 available individually for £1,220 each.

The Proof quarter-ounce .9999 fine gold £25 coin weighs 7.8 grams and measures 22 millimeters in diameter.

It has a mintage limit of 510 pieces, with 500 available individually for £750 each.

The Proof 2-ounce .9999 fine gold £200 coin weighs 62.42 grams and measures 40 millimeters in diameter.

It has a mintage limit of 86 pieces, with 80 available individually for £5,305 each.

A Brilliant Uncirculated .9167 fine gold D-Day sovereign will be struck on June 6, 2024.

The reverse will carry the classic Benedetto Pistrucci design of St. George slaying a dragon, and will include a privy mark depicting a tiny helmet atop the number 80 before the date.

The sovereign weighs 7.988 grams and measures 22.05 millimeters in diameter.

Of its mintage limit of 1,010 pieces, 1,000 will be available individually for £850 each.

The coins may be purchased at the Royal Mint’s website, www.royalmint.com/D-Day-80.