The relationship between the United States and Great Britain was perhaps best summed up by former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill after meeting with American President Franklen Roosevelt during the early days of World War II when he said that the strength of the partnership between the two nations was the strength of the free world. That strength is clearly in evidence on a series of new coins and medals produced in collaboration by the U.S. Mint and the Royal Mint that features allegorical figures of Liberty and Britannia. It’s just the second time the two mints have collaborated on a coin project and the first time that the chief engravers of both mints have worked together to produce a single design.

The design features a clever juxtaposition of the two allegorical figures representing each country—Lady Liberty as designed by U.S. Mint Chief Engraver Joseph F. Menna and Britannia designed by Gordon Summer, the Chief Engraver of the Royal Mint. Presented as complementary and balancing elements reminiscent of the faces on a playing card, Liberty is depicted with stars twinkling stars shining in her loose flowing hair while Britannia is shown wearing a Corinthian helmet pushed back to reveal her lovely face and luxurious hair. Each figure also holds her respective symbol: Britannia her trident, and Liberty her torch. The torch and the trident unites the elements of fire and water adding to the duality of the design and shows the unique nature of our alliance and friendship with Great Britain.

Each mint struck this design on the reverse side of its coins and medals with the British version’s obverse featuring the portrait of King Charles III and the American’s obverse version—also designed by Joseph Menna—depicting a bristlecone pine on the left with an English yew tree on the right. They are separated by the Atlantic Ocean with a sun rising above it, heralding new possibilities for both nations.

The 1/4oz Gold is .9999 purity, Ultra Cameo Proof 70. The Royal Mint struck 700 1/4oz Gold coins.

The 1oz Silver is .999, Ultra Cameo Proof 70. The Royal Mint struck 12,300 1oz Silver coins.