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Guglielmo Marconi
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The British Royal Mint and Royal Canadian Mint have jointly released a two coin set commemorating the centenary of Guglielmo Marconi's first Transatlantic wireless transmission. The reverse proof bi-metallic Two Pound British Coin and Proof Gold Cameo Five Dollar Canadian Coin are made of sterling silver, with gold plate, in a crown-sized bicolour format. The pieces are made for collectors only; not for circulation. 30,000 sets are available internationally, at around $120.Cdn for the two coins. |
 On December 12, 1901, Marconi sent the Morse Code letter S from Poldhu, Cornwall, England, to Signal Hill, St. John's, Newfoundland. Newfoundland did not actually join Canada until 1949. There are no official Newfoundland coin or stamp issues showing Signal Hill or commemorating Marconi, although Transatlantic flights are well "covered." |
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The coin itself is also breaking new ground. It is the result of the Royal Mint's first-ever public consultation on design, with more than 13,500 people giving their opinion of three short-listed choices and the chosen design receiving the highest share of the votes. The winning design was created and sculpted by leading Welsh artist Robert Evans. Taking radio waves as its theme, radio waves can be seen both in the centre and in the outer border, while a spark of electricity linking the zeros of the date represents the generation of the signal that was transmitted across the Atlantic. A new kind of wireless transmission is very popular today, so the commemorative coin issues are somewhat timely and topical, and their designs are suitably modern. This new pairing is the first Canada/Great Britain joint coin issue. Bi-metallic coins continue to grow in popularity. |
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Canada previously made joint coin issues with the People's Republic of China, commemorating Dr. Norman Bethune, in 1998, and, in 1999, with Norway, marking the Vikings arrival, also in what later became Newfoundland. Canada issued an 8c Marconi Birth Centenary stamp, Scott Catalogue #654, in 1974. Great Britain did a first wireless transmission Marconi commemorative stamp, Gibbons Catalogue #1214, in 1995. Canada, the U.S., Italy, and Australia have done joint stamp issues, for shared history, on several occasions over the last 25 years. |
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