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Design
details:
The Second World War brought devastation to British cities, but while
London burned St Paul’s miraculously escaped destruction, its Dome
according to The Times seeming to ‘ride the sea of fire like a great
ship’. Serene and comparatively unscathed amid a city in flames, the great
cathedral survived to become a symbol of hope to a beleaguered nation. And
it was this image of St Paul’s cathedral during the blitz that had such an
impact on Robert Elderton as he undertook his research for a suitable
reverse for the new two-pound coin celebrating the coming of peace in
1945: ‘Its survival during the fire bombing of London seemed such an
iconic image. The coin more or less designed itself when I came across the
image of St Paul’s lit up with the search beams in the shape of a V for
Victory. A lot of credit should go to Sir Christopher Wren and the
searchlight operators!’. Robert Elderton may jest but he has ensured that
the spectacular architecture of St Paul’s Cathedral has been faithfully
reproduced to make a beautifully composed and very fitting image for this
celebratory coin.
text source and credit the Royal Mint |
