145) The 2014 Ryder Cup Commemorative Banknote: Commemorating the Ryder Cup, Europe with a 5 Pound Sterling Banknote issued by the Royal Bank of Scotland:

145) The 2014 Ryder Cup Commemorative Banknote: Commemorating the Ryder Cup, Europe with a 5 Pound Sterling Banknote issued by the Royal Bank of Scotland:

The genesis  and setting up of The Ryder Cup Challenge:

-      The Ryder Cup tournament is a biennial men’s golf competition in which twelve member teams participate from Europe & the United States of America. The competition is jointly administered by the PGA of USA and the PGA European Tour.

-      The trophy is named after Samuel Ryder, an English businessman, who had been a major sponsor of British professional golf for several years, who also donated the trophy. Ryder was an English seed merchant & entrepreneur who made his fortune selling penny seed packets. His company was called Heath & Heather.  He took up golf at a relatively late stage in his life primarily to improve his health.

-      The Ryder Cup is one of the World’s greatest sporting events with millions of people watching this exciting contest between 24 of the greatest golfers from Europe and the United States once every two years.

-      The 40^th edition of the 2014 Ryder Cup is being held in Scotland for the second time in its history from 23-28 September 2014 at the Jack Nicklaus designed PGA Centenary Course at the picturesque Gleneagles Hotel in Perthshire. The charming natural beauty of Gleneagles is endless, with the lush panorama of the rich Perthshire Straths framed by tall pines, beech & firs, silver perch and purple heather in a spectacular moorland setting dotted by burns and lochs.

-      The interesting feature of the Ryder Cup and its counterpart the “President’s Cup” is that the players do not receive any prize money, despite the contests being high profile events, with superlative television and sponsorship revenues coming in, with several leading players from USA and Europe taking part in the tournament for the honour of being a member of the participating teams.

The Ryder Cup history:

-      In 1921, 20 golfers participated in an international challenge match at Gleneagles in Scotland, between Great Britain and the United States of America. Among the participants were golfing greats for eg. Harry Vardon, J.H. Taylor and Walter Hagen. The King’s Course at Gleneagles was the venue for the unofficial match between Great Britain and the USA. Great Britain won this precursor to the Ryder Cup, with James Braid, designer of the King’s Course, being a member of the winning British team. This was a precursor tournament to setting up the Ryder Cup challenge, six years later.

-      The 1921 match led to the creation of the Walker Cup, which was played annually in 1922, 1923, 1924 and then on a biennial basis from 1926.

-      In 1927, originally contested between Great Britain and the USA, the inaugural Ryder Cup Challenge took place at Worcester Country Club in Massachusetts on a course designed by Ronald Ross, a legendary course architect. The US team captained by Walter Hagen, who was nicknamed “golf’s first superstar” were the winners at this challenge.

-      In 1929, Great Britain won the second Ryder cup, which was the first one held on British soil at Moortown in Leeds, the course having been designed by Alister Mackenzie, the Scots creator of Augusta National.

-      In 1933, Great Britain won the 4^th Ryder Cup at Southport & Ainsdale in England. The course was designed by James Braid. Again in 1937, the Ryder Cup returned to Southport & Ainsdale.

-      In 1951, the USA won the 9^th Ryder Cup at the iconic Pinehurst No. 2 Course in North Carolina, the course having been designed by Donald Ross.

-      In 1963, the USA won the 15^th Ryder Cup at East Lake in Atlanta, Georgia.

-      In 1969, the 18^th Ryder Cup tournament held at Royal Birkdale in England ended in a tie for the first time, when in a memorable final, Jack Nicklaus and Tony Jacklin halved their match on the final hole. In this tournament, Jack Nicklaus picked up Jacklin’s marker, conceding the putt which Jacklin needed to tie the matches. Nicklaus reasoned that, he felt, Jacklin would have sunk his putt anyway but he did not want to give Jacklin the opportunity to do so. This “sportsmanship” was met with some adverse comments from the US team which felt that Jacklin should have been allowed to take his shot, because if he had missed, the US team would have got an outright win instead of a tie. With the US team already holding the Cup, the tie allowed it to retain the Cup. In this edition of the Ryder Cup, Bernard Gallacher became the youngest player to represent Britain at the age of twenty.

-      In 1971, Harry Bannerman picked up two-and-a-half points for Great Britain in the 19^th Ryder Cup at the old Warson Country Club in St. Louis, Missouri, the tournament winners being USA.

-      In 1973, the US team consisting of Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus and Lee Trevino beat the British and Irish team at the 20^th Ryder Cup tournament held at Muirfield in East Lothian, which became the first Scottish course to host the Tournament. This was also the first time that the British Team was joined by an Irish team.

-      In 1975, in the 21^st Ryder Cup held at Laurel Valley in Ligonier, Pennsylvania, Brian Barnes beat Jack Nicklaus twice in the singles on the same day even as Norman Wood beat Lee Trevino in his singles match, nevertheless the Americans carried the day winning this edition of the Ryder Cup.

-      By 1979, the US team had won the five competitions in a row, as such, it was decided to expand the competition from USA versus Great Britain & Ireland to include Continental Europe from 1979 onwards. This expansion brought into the “Team European”, players mostly from Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Spain and Sweden. This inclusion of European golfers made the Ryder Cup challenge more competitive, as talented young European players helped bolster the European side. The present day popularity of the Ryder Cup, which now commands enormous world-wide attention, dates back to this change in eligibility criteria.

-      In the 23^rd Ryder Cup, Sandy Lyle made his debut for the Great Britain & Ireland team which was now called the “Team Europe”. Lyle during his career played in five Ryder Cup tournaments and took part in 18 matches.

-      In 1985, in the 26^th Ryder Cup, the European team bagged its first Ryder Cup win in 28 years. Since creation of “Team Europe”, the European sides have won the Trophy nine times outright and retained the Cup once in a tied match.

-      In 1987, the European team won the 27^th Ryder Cup again at Muirfield Village in Dublin, Ohio. Gordon Brand Jr. was a member of the winning team both, in this edition, as well as, the 1989 edition of the tournament held at The Belfry.

-      In 1989, the Ryder Cup held at The Belfry in Europe, saw the rising of tensions in the Series. After holding the Cup for more than two decades, the US team lost both the 1985 and 1987 matches. The pressure in this tournament was on the American team. This edition of the Ryder Cup is infamous for the running “feud” between Seve Ballesteros and Paul Azinger who disputed several features of each other’s games. The US team’s frustration grew, with the matches ending in a tie and the European team retaining the Cup.

-      The 1991 Ryder Cup matches were dubbed “The War on the Shore”. The overall tension between the teams and the feud between Ballesteros & Azinger escalated further at the Kiawah Island Golf Resort. At the ceremonial opening dinner, the PGA of America played two videos that were seen as less than hospitable by the European team. The first video, presented as a highlight reel of past Ryder Cups showed only Americans. The second video was a welcome address by the US President George Bush in which he closed by cheering on the American side. Tensions and inter-match level disputes ran to such a high level that on several occasions players on both sides were driven to tears. The US team won back the Cup in a bitterly contested tournament.

-      In 1995, Bernard Gallacher captained Europe to victory at the 31^st Ryder Cup tournament held at Oak Hill Country club in Pittsford, New York. This was the second time the American team was defeated on home soil.

-      In 1999, the 33^rd Ryder Cup at the Country Club in Brookline, Massachusetts was won by the US team in controversial circumstances. Golf, considered to be a gentleman’s game took a backseat, with several rules and codes of conduct being overlooked/flouted, so much so, that although the US team won the tournament, several members of the US team apologized for their behavior and both teams endeavoured to calm down the increasing “nationalism” that had crept into the game.  Subsequent Ryder Cups are now played in the “spirit of the game”.

-      In 2002, Europe won the 34^th Ryder Cup at the Belfry after thirteen years from the last win.

-      In 2010, Europe won the 38^th Ryder Cup at Celtic Manor, Wales, captained by Colin Montgomerie, who before captaining Europe, had played in 36 matches in 8 Ryder Cup Challenges and was never beaten in a singles match.

-      In 2012, in the Ryder Cup held at Medinah Country Club in Medinah, Illinois, the European team won the tournament in an exciting photo-finish on the last day, with Scotland’s Paul Lawrie playing a pivotal role in the so called “Miracle of Medinah” victory. The European team came from behind to win this edition of the Ryder Cup. Martin Kaymer struck the putt that retained the Cup for Europe. Including this tournament, out of the last nine Ryder Cups, Team Europe has won seven.

-      In 2014, for the first time in over 40 years and only the second time in the tournament’s history, the Ryder Cup is being held in Scotland.

The Ryder Cup Format:

The Ryder Cup tournament involves various matches between players selected from the two teams – USA & Europe each having twelve members.

The tournament takes place from a Friday to a Sunday with a total of 28 matches being played, all matches being over 18 holes.

On Friday and Saturday, there are four fourball matches and four foursomes matches each day, a session of four matches in the morning and a session of four matches in the afternoon.

On Sunday, there are twelve singles matches when all the members play. For the matches on Friday & Saturday each Captain selects any eight players for each of the sessions over these two days.

The winner of each match scores a point for his team, with a half point each being awarded for any match that is tied after the 18 holes. The winning team is determined by cumulative total points. In the event of a tie, i.e. each team scoring 14 points each, the Ryder Cup is retained by the team who held it before the contest.

A foursomes match is a competition between two teams of two golfers each. The golfers on the same team take alternate shots throughout the match, with the same ball. Each hole is won by the team that completes the hole in the fewest shots.

A fourball match is also a competition between two teams of two golfers, but all four golfers play their own ball throughout the round rather than alternating shots. Each hole is won by the team whose individual golfer has the lowest score.

A singles match is a standard match play competition between two golfers.

This format has undergone a sea-change from the inaugural event in 1921 until 1959, the Ryder Cup originally being a two-day event with 36 – hole matches.

In 1961, the matches were changed to 18 holes each and the number of matches doubled.

In 1963, the tournament duration was expanded to three days, with fourball matches being played for the first time.

In 1977, the number of matches was reduced to 20.

In 1979, the first year Continental European players took part, the format was changed to the 28 match version in use today, with 8 foursomes/four-ball matches on the first two days and 12 singles matches on the last day.

Since 1979, a player can play a maximum of five matches – 2 foursomes, 2 fourballs and a singles match.

Some Future venues for the Ryder Cup:

2016, Hazeltine National Golf Club, Chaska, Minnesota.

2018, Le Golf National, Albatros Course, Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, France.

2020, Whistling Straits, Straits Course, Haven, Wisconsin.

2022, (Not yet decided).

2024, Bethpage Black Course, Farmingdale, New York.

The Commemorative Five Pound Sterling Banknote issued by the Royal Bank of Scotland to commemorate the 40^th edition of the Ryder Cup being held in Scotland:

The Royal Bank of Scotland in collaboration with the Ryder Cup Europe has issued a special edition 5 pound Sterling Banknote, the first time ever that the Ryder Cup has been commemorated with a Banknote.

The Banknote comes in an attractive official Ryder Cup commemorative display packaging. The commemorative Banknote is legal tender in the UK, although it is not  available in general circulation.

The Banknote has several unique commemorative and security features, in that, it is printed on Hybrid paper, which is again a first for the UK and Europe. The mix of traditional cotton paper and polyester plastic materials are designed to make the Banknote more durable and resistant to tear or stains. 

Another interesting feature is that there is a see-through window in the shape of the Ryder Cup, a window feature on Hybrid banknotes, which is also a first for Europe. Each Banknote is beautifully displayed in a special Collector Folio with a Certificate of Authenticity and a gives a historical narrative. The original uncirculated Banknote is sealed in a protective lens to preserve its pristine condition. (A brief on this technology is given in the last para of this post).

The Folder containing the 5 Pound Ryder Cup Commemorative Banknote & related documents:

  The Front of the jacket containing the 2014 Ryder Cup five pound            Commemorative Banknote as well as related documents. The caption includes the legend "Strictly limited Uncirculated Edition" and exhibits an image of the Ryder Cup as well as the Ryder Cup 2014 logo & is datelined "GLENEAGLES SCOTLAND 2014"

The Back of the Jacket as above.

 The Certificate of Authenticity issued by the Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) also indicating the specifications of the Banknote as under:

Date of issue: 22nd September 2014

Denomination: 5 Pound

Country: Scotland

Issuing Bank: Royal Bank of Scotland

Condition : Uncirculated

Authorising Signature: Ross Mc Ewan, Chief executive, The Royal Bank of Scotland.

(To my mind, what is missing here are the dimensions of the Banknote, which is normally an integral part of the Certificate of Authenticity).

The Back of the Certificate of Authenticity outlines the history of RBS Banknotes commencing from the 1727 20 Shilling Banknote, the 1827 1 Pound Banknote, the 1914 RBS 1 Pound Banknote, the 1966 RBS 5 Pound Banknote & culminating in the 2014 RBS 5 Pound Ryder Cup Commemorative Banknote.

An interesting keepsake for the Ryder Day ticket-holders:

Ryder Cup match day and practice day ticket holders are entitled for an exclusive one-for-one exchange of the commemorative banknote at the Gleneagles Course during the week of the event itself. In addition, there will be a space on the folio package for the tickets to be placed as display mementos for the ticket holders.

The Front of the Special folio for the tickets to be placed as display mementos for the ticket holders.

 The Back of the Special Folio covered by a moisture proof plastic cover to keep the tickets safe from humidity. (I guess, I will have to make do by saving newspaper clippings/cuttings of the winners in this folio).

The Banknote Collector’s Folio:

The Banknote is contained in a two-fold folio with a narrative on the left- and right-hand sides and the Banknote in the Centre.

On the left of the folio, when facing the viewer the following narrative is mentioned:

“Something truly significant holds its place in history forever: The Ryder Cup has become one of the world’s greatest sporting contests, as every two years twenty four of the best players from Europe & the United states go head-to-head in match play competition. Drama, tension, incredible golf, camaraderie & sportsmanship captivate an audience of over a half billion each day of the competition world-wide. It is an event that transcends sports.” The narrative, thereafter mentions the Ryder Cup results of every competition held.

The narrative on the right hand side, when facing the viewer goes as follows:

The 5 Pound Ryder cup Commemorative Note is issued by Royal Bank of Scotland as legal currency under the Bank of England banknote regulations.

Paper: The banknote is printed on a new generation of banknote paper which is a combination of traditional cotton paper & polyester plastic materials. This is the first time this material has been used in banknotes in the UK & Europe.

Security thread: The banknote will contain a new security thread compared to existing RBS notes. The security thread in the Ryder Cup Banknote is much thicker than on previous notes and combines movement and changing colours. The thread is at the vanguard of a new technology and will be seen in the UK and Europe for the first time on this note.

New Features: The 5 Pound Commemorative note will contain a see through window with a colour changing image of the Ryder Cup over it. By tilting the window you will see the Cup change from gold to green.

This is the very first time that these unique design features have come together in one note – the 2014 historic Ryder Cup Commemorative”.

The Back of the Banknote exhibits an image of the iconic Ryder Cup trophy, alongside images of the Gleneagles Hotel and the PGA Centenary Course.

The Banknote was designed and developed by Royal Bank, Scotland as part of the Bank’s ongoing commitment to Scottish golf.

The Banknotes have been printed by the German currency printing major Giesecke & Devrient. 

On the Front of the Ryder Cup Commemorative Banknote (as with all Royal Bank of Scotland redesigned Banknotes issued since 1987) is the inclusion of the portrait of Royal Bank of Scotland’s first Governor, Lord Ilay. On the upper half of the Banknote is an original engraving used on earlier RBS Banknotes, the façade of the Bank’s Registered office at 36, St. Andrew Square, Edinburgh, a representation of the ceiling of the banking hall there, the Coat of Arms of the Bank and the logo created for the Bank in 1969.

A circulating 5 Pound Banknote showing the portrait of Lord Ilay, First Governor of the Bank of Scotland  found on RBS Banknotes, placed here for illustration.

Archibald Campbell, 3^rd Duke of Argyll, 1^st Earl of Ilay (1682-1761): was a Scottish noblemen, politician, lawyer, businessman and soldier. He was the right hand man in Scotland for Britain’s first & longest serving Prime Minister, Robert Walpole. He played an important role in establishing Scottish banking and was involved in laying the foundation of the Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) in 1727. He was nominated RBS’s first governor for the next ten years. In addition, he supported the Scottish Universities and the development of Medical Schools in Edinburgh. The engraving of Lord Ilay used on the RBS banknotes is based on a painting of him by Allan Ramsay, presently with the Scottish National Portrait Gallery. Lord Ilay’s portrait also features as the watermark on the RBS Banknotes.

The last page of the Folio contains a brief history of the Ryder Cup.

The Banknote Jacket/Folio thus contains:

A Collector’s Folio

Certificate of Authenticity

Historical narrative

Original, uncirculated Banknote

Features on the Ryder Cup commemorative used by Giesecke & Devrient:

Hybrid polymer Banknote substrate used on this Banknote  brings the advantages of paper Banknotes and polymer Banknotes together in an innovative polyster film around a cotton fiber core. Already proven in circulation on three continents – Asia, America and Africa – Hybrid Banknotes combine security with durability and ensure user popularity/acceptance.

Hybrid’s core can be exclusively customized with embedded watermarks, security threads and machine – readable elements to ensure that the Banknote substrate is secure against counterfeiting. Due to their polyester film, Hybrid Banknotes are durable, remain clean and stiff even in extreme circulation conditions. Giesecke & Devrient has used multi-stage production processes to ensure a high level of protection against counterfeiting on the Ryder Cup Banknote.

The Ryder Cup on the front is printed with SICPA SPARK ink in a transparent window. Banknote windows are eye-catching features and are easily verified. Optically attractive security features have been applied in the transparent area on this Banknote which can be seen from both sides of the Banknote. SICPA SPARK has been created in the screen printing process and combines colour change with dynamic effects and 3D impressions. Printed in the transparent window area and embedded with the design, it is visible from both sides of the Banknote. 

The image is repeated in the see-through Filigram window creating an image that is both transparent and translucent. By using very advanced laser perforation technologies, filigree lines are cut into the core paper substrate generating the image of the Ryder Cup when viewed in transmission. Covered by the thin protective film layers, this secondary window adds a further security element which is easy to identify. 

(Filigram allows for individual Banknote designs and due to its incomspicuous appearance under incidental light is easy to integrate into an existing Banknote design. Moreover, it is stable and dirt resistant and can have customized designs).

The Ryder Cup Banknote features a HighLight watermark which further enhances its security. Cylinder mould watermarks are 3D security elements that are produced on the cylinder mould paper machine at the sheet formation stage. They display a sharp contrast between light and dark areas and subtle gradations.

The Ryder Cup Banknote is also the first in Europe to use the Rolling Star security thread (“Rolling” stands for the light reflection that rolls over the Banknote’s surface when it moves and “Star” symbolizes the intensity of reflected light) which represents the latest generation of optically dynamic security threads. This technology is based on an innovative high-precision micro-optical effect combined with physical thin film processes, all of which “raise the bar” and create an insurmountable technological barrier for the counterfeiters. It can be easily verified, even by an untrained eye and even in poor lighting. When the Ryder Cup Banknote is tilted, dynamic colour shift reflection travels over the surface and creates a striking effect, changing from gold to green in perfect harmony with the green colours of the grass and the golden colours of the Cup on the Banknote. 

(The use of scanners and colour printers in the nineties brought new challenges for Banknote printing. The embedded metallic threads have now given way to optical effects such as changing colours or images. Holograms and colour shifting effects in the form of threads, stripes or patches now protect many different Banknotes to prevent counterfeiting. Rolling Star is a unique security feature that combines high-tech innovation and elegance).

The Special paper technology used on these Commemorative Banknotes is identical to the technology pioneered by Landqart AG, a Swiss security payer Company:

Durasafe: This is a new composite paper-polymer-paper Banknote substrate which has been pioneered by Landqart AG. This technology is a platform for the world’s most secure banknotes. Durasafe is composed of two cotton paper outer layers with a fully transparent polymer core. (The reverse combination has been used on the Ryder Cup Banknote  with one cotton paper core encompassed in two polymer outer layers). The paper is high security cylinder mould made containing a watermark and security fibres as well as other security features including paper tactility. The polymer core adds strength and security, while allowing windows to be formed virtually anywhere on the Banknote. Windows can be formed to look into the core of the substrate or directly through the substrate.

Thrusafe: These windows are fully transparent and can be designed in different shapes for various banknote denominations or commemorative Banknotes.

Viewsafe: Viewsafe windows allow a clear view into the core of the Durasafe banknotes. The security foil or watermark or the unprinted inside surface of the differently coloured security paper layer on the opposite side of the banknote sealed behind the clear polymer one can be easily/safely seen. This window draws the holder’s attention to the visible security features sealed inside the substrate of the banknote.

Durability: The polymer core affords stability and higher mechanical strength properties to the banknote for a much longer life span than ordinary paper banknotes, particularly when combined with an effective post-printing varnish.

(Jayant Biswas has arranged to get two of these Banknotes – one for himself and one for my collection through his friend in Singapore.This Banknote has travelled from Scotland to Singapore to New Delhi & then to Pune).

POSTED ON 14.09.2018:

The 42nd Ryder Cup Matches will be held in France from 28-30.09.2018 on the Albatros Course of Le Golf National in Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, Ile-de-France, a suburb Southwest of Paris. It will be the second Ryder Cup to be held in Continental Europe, after the 1997 contest held in Spain.

The USA is the defending champion, but has lost the last five matches in Europe, having last won there in 1993.

La Poste France has brought out a set of stamps commemorating the Ryder Cup event  in France:

The Sheetlets exhibiting four stamps, four coupons and an image of a golfer

The Special Folder in which the stamps are placed. There is a jacket in which visitors to the tournament can place their ticket stubs.

The technical details of this stamp issue are:

Issue Date: 15.09.2018

Designer: Huitierne Jour

Process: Heliogravure

Size: 40.85 mm x 30.00 mm

Values: 10.40 Euros

Links to posts on sports & sporting icons on this blog:

1) Coins commemorating the Commonwealth Games in India & other Indian Sports

2) Coins commemorating London Olympics

3) 100 Rouble Banknote Commemorating the Sochi Winter Olympics 2014

4) A set of four stamps issued by India Post to commemorate the FIFA World Cup held in Brazil 2014

5) The 2014 Ryder Cup Commemorative Banknote 

6) Limited Edition Gold & Silver coins issued on Sachin Tendulkar "World's Greatest Batsman" by the New Zealind Mint

7) Australia's greatest Cricketing Legend Sir Donald Bradman honoured by issue of 5 Pound Austrailan coins by the Royal Australian Mint.

8) Commemorative Coins issued on the occasion of Moscow Summer Olympics 1980 by the Russian Mint   

Links to some other Posts on Great Britain Coinage & Currency:

British Crown Dependencies:

1) Specimen Banknotes from the States of Jersey

2) Coinage and Currency from the States of Jersey

3) Currency & Coinage of the Bailiwick of Guernsey

4) Currency & Coinage of Gibraltar : An Overseas Territory of Great Britain

5) Coinage of Gibraltar: (A British Overseas Territory): An Uncirculated Decimal Coin Collection Set minted by the Tower Mint, UK in 2010
  
6) The Isle of Man: An Uncirculated Decimal Coin Collection Set minted by Pobjoy Mint, UK in 2015

7) The Centenary of the ill-fated Titanic (15.04.1912 - 15.04.2012): An Alderney Five Pound Coin Commemorating the Maritime Legend

8) "Man of Steel": A Superman Movie: A set of stamps brought out in 2013 by Jersey post, the States of Jersey, commemorating Henry William Dalgliesh Cavill who played Superman in the Movie

9) Coins & Currency of Bermuda

10) The Bailiwick of Jersey - Presently circulating coinage - Pounds and Pence 

11) St. Helena & Ascension Islands: An Uncirculated Coin Set from 2003 

12) The Legend of the "HMAV Bounty" is interwoven with the heritage of the Pitcairn Islands: An uncirculated coin set from Pitcairn Islands in 2009 depicting the icons/relics of the Bounty minted by the New Zealand Mint 

Famous Battles: 

1) Bicentenary of the Battle of Waterloo and Napoleon's Exile to St. Helena: (Part I): A One Crown Commemorative coin issued by the Ascension Island (minted by Pobjoy Mint UK) 

2) Bicentenary of the Battle of Waterloo and Napoleon's Exile to st. Helena: (Part II) 1) A 5 GBP Coin issued by the Royal Mint UK. 2) A"Drie Landen Zilverset" ( ot the "Three Lands Silver set") containing coins issued by the Royal Dutch Mint including coins of Netherlands, Belgium and UK

3) Commemorating the 75th Anniversary of the Battle of Britain by issuing a 50 Pence coin by the Royal Mint UK

Gold Coins:
  
1) Gold Sovereigns issued in 2013 & 2014 by MMTC-PAMP in India under licence from the Royal Mint, UK, carrying the "I" Mint Mark

2) Gold Half-Sovereigns minted by MMTC-PAMP in India in 2014 under licence from the Royal Mint UK bearing the "I" Mint Mark 

Silver Coins:

1) A 20 Pound Silver coin minted for the first timr by the royal Mint UK: reverse design carries the famous St. George slaying the dragon design found on Gold Sovereigns 

British India Coinage:

 1) East India Company Quarter Anna Copper Coin which is one of the first issues under the Coinage Act 1835

2) Victoria Coinage: When she was Queen and afterwards Empress

3) Edward VII: King & Emperor  Coinage

4) George V King Emperor Coinage

5) George VI: The last of the British India Emperors Coinage 

Other British Royalty: 

1) Queen Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee Celebrations (1952-2012): A Five Pound Commemorative coin issued by the Royal Mint, UK

2) Commemorating Queen Elizabeth II's Coronation in 1953: A Five Pound Coin minted by the Royal Mint UK in 2013, depicting the Imperial State Crown

3) The Royal Coat of Arms of the UK: Great British 2012 Coin Set (Uncirculated) issued by the Royal Mint UK

4) Prince George's Christening Ceremony celebrated with coins issued by the Royal Mint UK in 2013

5) The British Empire:  A Case of Numismatic "segregation": (Guest Post by Rahul Kumar)

6) 1) The Portrait Collection: Various Portraits of Queen Elizabeth II on Coinage 2) The Fourth & Final Circulating coinage of the Portrait designed by Ian Rank-Broadley and the First Edition of the portrait of the Queen made by Jody Clark

 British Coinage:

1) The contribution of the Great British One-Pound coins in keeping alive the historical legends/emblems/heritage of the UK (1983 onwards)

2) Transformation of a Five shilling Coin (Crown) into the UK Twenty-five Pence & then the Five Pound Coin

3) Transformation of the Two Shilling Coin (Florin) Coin into the UK Ten Pence

4) The 350th Anniversary of the Guinea: A Two Pound Coin issued by the Royal Mint UK celebrating the milestone

 Commemorative British Coinage:

 1) Commemorating the Bicentenary of Charles Dickens: A Two pound coin celebrating his literary contributions during the Victorian Era

 2) Commemorating 50 Years of the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) - presently called the World Wide Fund for Nature by issue of a Fifty Pence coin by the Royal Mint, UK

3) Coins commemorating London Olympics & Paralympics (2012)

4) Commemorating 150 Years of the London Underground : Two pound Coins minted by the Royal Mint UK, showing the "Roundel" logo and a train emerging from a tunnel 

5) Commemorating the 100th Birth anniversary of Christopher Ironside with his" Royal Arms" design on a 50 Pence coin issued by the Royal Mint, UK 

6) 800th Anniversary of the Magna Carta - the Universal Guidepost to Liberty and Freedom

Inspirations from Scottish History: 

1) The Legend of King Bruce & the Spider on Banknotes

Banknotes from Scotland:
  
1) Commemorating Sir William Arrol and his creation the Forth Rail Bridge by issues of Britain's first ever 5 Pound Polymer Banknote