Saturday 2 January 2016

Why are the new coins from the Mint so Anglo centric?

So it seems that nothing worth mentioning has happened in Wales ,Scotland and (Northern Ireland in the last 1000 years

New coins featuring William Shakespeare, Beatrix Potter, the Army and the Great Fire of London are set to be released in 2016.

Shakespeare and Great Fire of London will feature on new 2016 coin designs
The Royal Mint said each of the new coins gives a snapshot of Britain over the last 1,000 years, marking key moments, organisations and people that have shaped the nation.

"The histories, comedies and tragedies of William Shakespeare will be represented on £2 coins marking 400 years of the Bard's literary legacy.

A 50p coin honours Beatrix Potter, the author and artist whose illustrated animal tales have delighted generations of children worldwide, on the 150th anniversary of her birth.


The year 1066 is imprinted on many a schoolchild's memory - along with the fate of King Harold at the Battle of Hastings - and features on a 50p coin 950 years after the battle.
The Great Fire of London, an event that changed the face of Britain's capital city, is to have its 350th anniversary commemorated on a £2 coin.
The Royal Mint's five-year programme marking the centenary of the First World War continues with a £2 coin remembering the community pride that fuelled the rise of the "Pals" battalions, bearing a poignant design reminiscent of the art deco styling of the time".

So I take it that  there is no anniversary in 2016 relevant to Wales ,Scotland  and Northern Ireland.

It is ironic for me because the Royal Mint is only a few miles from where I live in Llantrisant.
 

OK we all know 1916 was a important year in Ireland but I realise that the Post Office is  not going to commemorate the Easter Rising but surely the Anglo Centric  nature of the current coin issue is to far ?

It is the same thing with commemorative stamps from the Royal Mail which is largely also Anglo centric.

The fact that England has dominated the History and Culture in these Islands  is no reasons to ignore the other Nations here.


We can only wonder if Scotland became Independent and as the SNP proposed shared the currency.

Of course they already have their own Banknotes  in Scotland but unless the coinage resembled the Euro in that each Nation in the currency union  had coinage and banknotes which reflected their culture and history it would be  jarring for Scots to be using Anglo Centric coins of the type above.

Come to think of it, Pound coins used to have the emblems of the 4 UK Nations  why can't that be extended ?


 

5 comments:

WelshnotBritish said...

October 21st 2016 will be the 50th anniversary of Aberfan.

Anonymous said...

At the time when the pound coins were minted the powers that be justified the
change in coinage was to reflect the new devolution settlement. Interesting that since the real threat of Scotland leaving the Union, the eblishment have taken every opportunity to stress Britain. You see so many programmes with Britain in the title and the Union flag in the art work. The coinage reflects thus trend.

Conan the Librarian™ said...

England is not Britain...

Gareth said...

As Gwynfor Evans said: "Britishness is a political synonym for Englishness which extends English culture over the Scots, Welsh, and the Irish."

Unknown said...

Well from what I can see this is the last throw of the dice to retain the Empire so the Celtic Fringe can go stuff themselves. The more they do this the better, more people here in Scotland and I hope in Wales and NI will see how the English view them, something irrelevant to them but something to look down on. Having been booed by a bus load of English People on a bus in Sweden, had English people try to have arguments with me, who I never take them up on but try very hard to stay away from them these days. This thing with the coinage is not a surprise. Now we do not have one pound notes here in Scotland these days so I expect they will arrive here, sorely tempted to take the to the bank and ask them to change them for currency which reflects my country.