Yahoo News The most valuable Royal Mint music coins as George Michael is celebrated
The Careless Whisper singer is the latest British music legend to be commemorated with his own coin - but which pop star currency is worth the most?
George Michael has been celebrated by the Royal Mint with a special set of commemorative coins.
The late Careless Whisper singer joins an elite number of British chart topping musicians to have their face stamped on a collectible £5, as part of the Royal Mint's Music Legends series.
Wham! star Michael – who died aged 53 on Christmas Day 2016 as the result of heart disease and a fatty liver - is commemorated in both a limited edition set of coins ranging from a silver £5 on sale for £15.50 to a limited edition 1oz gold proof coin, of which there are just 150 on sale for £2,270 each.
The Faith singer is the latest British pop music legend to be commemorated with his own coin. The Music Legends coin range was launched by the Royal Min in 2020 and includes the late David Bowie, Elton John and Dame Shirley Bassey. Many of the coins are completely sold out.
But which pop star currency is worth the most? Here is the musical money ranked from least to most valuable.
George Michael
There are eight limited edition, uncirculated coins in the range, featuring an image of Michael's head wearing his trademark sunglasses and crucifix earring from the cover art to his song Faith.
The coin has been approved by the George Michael estate, which released a statement saying they are "deeply honoured" by the tribute and that the singer would have been "enormously proud and genuinely touched that a national institution should have decided to pay tribute to his memory in this way".
The range includes a coloured £5 coin for £25.50 three different sized silver proof coins fro £108.50 to £487 each and three differed gold proof coins starting at £99.50 which the most valuable priced at £2,770.
Queen
The Bohemian Rhapsody rockers were celebrated in an extensive range of 13 limited edition coins which are now all sold out. The most expensive was the one ounce gold proof coin of which 300 were pressed, and sold for £2,315. These could well be worth more if resold today.
The Police
Sting's The Walking on the Moon hitmakers were pressed onto a range of eight special coins in 2023. The most valuable was the 2 oz gold proof coin, of which only 150 were made, and are still available to by for £5,305 each.
Dame Shirley Bassey
Diamonds Are Forever singer Dame Shirley Bassey was immortalised by the Royal Mint on 10 different special coins in 2023. This included a 2 oz gold proof coin, of which only 70 were made, and are currently being sold by the Royal Mint for £5,305.
David Bowie
The Rebel Rebel singer — who died aged 69 in 2016 — was the first star to be commemorated on a £5 coin in the Royal Mint's Music Legends range in 2020. There are different coins which are now all sold out. The most valuable is the 5oz gold proof coin, of which just 60 were made, sold for £10,525 each. Four years on, with none of the original Bowie coins available to buy from the Royal Mint, they could well have risen in value.
Elton John
The Rocket Man's famous face was printed on to eight different £5 commemorative coins released in 2020. Only 50 of the 5oz gold proof coins were made, making them the rarest of the Music Legends range. They were sold for £10,525 by the Royal Mint's official website but given an RRP (recommended retail price) of £11,815. They have all been sold.
Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones were commemorated by the Royal Mint in a set of just four coins in 2022, and are all sold out. This marked 60 years of the Start Me Up rockers, who were formed in 1962. Just 30 of their 5oz gold proof coins were made, and originally sold for £12,725.
The Who
The Royal Mint made a set of 12 special coins in tribute to rock legends The Who in 2021. This included 12, one kilo, gold proof coins, priced at £76,135, which have all been snapped up. This makes the Kids Are Alright rockers officially the music legends with the most valuable coin.
Read more: George Michael
George Michael's Death: The Details Behind His Sudden Passing (People, 11 min read)
George Michael coin unveiled by the Royal Mint (BBC, 2 min read)
George Michael documentary director: 'I couldn't find anyone to say anything bad about him' (Yahoo, 7 min read)
