The Who are being honoured with commemorative coins by The Royal Mint.
The 'Pinball Wizard' hitmakers follow in the footsteps of Queen, Sir Elton John and David Bowie who have been recognised with the official monetary honour as part of the UK coinmakers' ‘Music Legends’ series.
Frontman Roger Daltrey gave their coin its seal of approval by striking the first one.
The design boasts a union flag, Mod logo and speaker-smashing Rickenbacker guitar in the form of a pinball table, a nod to their 1969 hit 'Pinball Wizard' from their rock opera LP 'Tommy' and the imagery used at their live performances.
The coin is partially digitally printed to "showcase the vibrant red, white and blue of the band’s emblem".
A limited number of coins will feature a "special ‘shockwave’ effect, radiating from the speaker - elevating the detail of the coin", a reference to The Who holding the record for the loudest concert for a decade.
Daltrey said in a press release: “It’s an honour to have a coin produced to celebrate The Who’s musical legacy. 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.”
Guitarist Pete Townshend added: “I am delighted that the band's work is being recognised by this fantastic range of coins from The Royal Mint.”
Clare Maclennan, Divisional Director of Commemorative Coin at The Royal Mint, commented: “The Who are an iconic British band with an incredible musical legacy, so it felt right to honour them with an official UK coin. The Who coin is the latest in our show stopping Music Legends series, which celebrates legendary British artists through original new designs. It was a privilege to have Roger Daltrey visit the Mint to strike one of the first coins and meet the team of makers that have created this wonderful design. Our Music Legends series is engaging new generations of coin collectors, and we hope this design will become a cherished part of fan’s memorabilia.”
