Britain’s Royal Mint unveiled a commemorative coin honoring Freddie Mercury, marking 40 years since his legendary Live Aid performance.
The coin features the Queen frontman in his iconic pose, microphone stand in hand. The tribute arrives as fans worldwide continue celebrating Mercury’s enduring musical legacy, four decades after the concert many consider rock’s greatest live performance.
The coin’s design captures Mercury mid-performance, head thrown back in his signature stance. A musical stave circling the coin’s edge represents his extraordinary four-octave vocal range.
Kashmira Bulsara, Mercury’s sister, struck the first coin at the Royal Mint in Wales last week.
“As Freddie died young, he didn’t get the chance of being awarded a royal medal for his talents in the music world. So to have a royal coin this way is wonderful and very fitting,” she said, per the Associated Press.
“The coin perfectly captures his passion and the joy he brought to millions through his music,” Bulsara added. “I think the design is very impressive, and they managed to catch the most iconic pose of Freddie, which is so recognizable worldwide.”
Rebecca Morgan, the Royal Mint’s director of commemorative coin, said timing made Mercury the perfect choice. She noted fans had been “calling out” for the tribute and “this felt like the year to do it.”
The commemoration also coincides with the 40th anniversary of Mercury’s solo album “Mr Bad Guy.” Mercury died in 1991 at age 45, one day after publicly revealing his HIV-positive status.
The Royal Mint previously honored music legends including David Bowie, George Michael, Shirley Bassey, and Paul McCartney.
The Mercury coins are available for purchase on the Royal Mint website.
Prices start at 18.50 pounds ($24.40) for an uncirculated 5-pound denomination version. A 2-ounce gold proof coin costs 9,350 pounds ($12,315).
The Royal Mint will donate a special gold edition to the Mercury Phoenix Trust. The charity, established in the singer’s memory, supports people living with AIDS and HIV.
