ROYAL MINT ISSUES BENJAMIN BRITTEN 50 PENCE COIN

Great Britain is minting a new 50 pence coin to commemorate the centenary of the birth of composer Benjamin Britten.

Engraved on the coin are poet Alfred Lord Tennyson's lines "Blow, bugle, blow, set the wild echoes flying," which Britten put to music in the Serenade for Tenor, Horn and Strings.

The design, by coin sculptor Tom Phillip, also shows Britten's name, framed by a double stave in recognition of his virtuosic piano skills. It is said to be the first time a person other than the Queen will have their full name featured on a 50p coin.

The Royal Mint said the coin will be available to collectors on September 27 and will go into general circulation on November 22.

To read the complete article, see: Britain Mints New Coin for Benjamin Britten Centennial (www.wqxr.org/#!/blogs/wqxr-blog/2013/sep/03/britain-mints-new-coin-benjamin-britten-centennial/)

	NBS (coinbooks.org) Web