Christopher Ironside designed coins for many countries

Started by <k>, February 18, 2011, 03:21:11 AM

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<k>


Mr Ironside with Queen Elizabeth II.


Christopher Ironside was born London in 1913. As a young man, he trained at the Central School of Arts and Crafts. In his career thereafter, he worked variously as a painter, sculptor, draughtsman, designer and teacher. During World War II, he served in the Directorate of Camouflage and worked for the Air Ministry. After the war he worked for the Ministry of Town and Country Planning, then as education officer for the Council of Industrial Design (1946–1948). He also taught at the Maidstone School of Art and collaborated with his brother Robin on theatrical design and postage stamps.

It was only in middle age that Mr Ironside began his involvement with numismatic design, when he won a Royal Mint competition in 1962 to design the UK's decimal coins. That project would continue, on and off, until 1968, but in the meantime he found time to design other coins for the Royal Mint.

Mr Ironside died in July 1992. His numismatic legacy was substantial and varied, and he deserves to be remembered for far more than his UK decimal designs alone.


Nowadays Mr Ironside is probably best known for creating the designs for the UK's first decimal set. However, I think I am on safe ground in saying that nobody ever called any of those designs a classic. What is less well known, however, is that he produced several designs for overseas countries in which his numismatic art was able to reach its full expression. In this topic, I should like to concentrate on those lesser known works, as much has already been written about his UK decimal set.
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<k>



Qatar and Dubai, 25 dirham, 1966.


In the mid-1960s Qatar and Dubai entered a currency union.

Their joint currency was issued in 1966.


Their coins were designed by Mr Ironside.

The country names and denominations appeared on the obverse.

A relatively simple design of a goitred gazelle adorned the reverse of all the coins.
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See: The Royal Mint Museum.

<k>



Tanzania. President Julius Nyerere.




Tanzania. 5 senti.




Tanzania. 10 senti.




Tanzania. 20 senti.




Tanzania. 50 senti.




Tanzania. 1 shilingi.


Also in 1966, Tanzania issued its first coinage set as an independent nation.

The designs, including the portrait of President Nyrere, were by Mr Ironside.

The 10 senti coin was not issued until 1977 but was also designed by Mr Ironside.
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<k>


Brunei, 1967.


Mr Ironside designed the portrait of Omar Ali Saifuddien III, the Sultan of Brunei, on the circulation coin series introduced in 1967.
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See: The Royal Mint Museum.

<k>



Christopher Ironside also designed the reverses of the first Brunei coinage. They featured traditional motifs.
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See: The Royal Mint Museum.

<k>


Rwanda, 1 franc, 1969.


Christopher Ironside designed the portrait of President Grégoire Kayibanda that appears on the obverse.
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<k>


Jamaica, 1 cent, 1969.




Jamaica, 5 cents, 1969.




Jamaica, 10 cents, 1969.




Jamaica, 20 cents, 1969.




Jamaica, 25 cents, 1969.


Also in 1969 Jamaica released its first decimal circulation set, all of whose reverse designs were the work of Mr Ironside.
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See: The Royal Mint Museum.

<k>



Jamaica, 50 cents, 1975.


Mr Ironside also designed this portrait of Jamaican statesman Marcus Garvey .
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<k>



Brunei, 1 ringgit, 1970.


In 1970 Brunei issued a 1 ringgit coin. This first ringgit coin was a collector coin only. However, it was later introduced as a circulation coin in 1977.

Christopher Ironside produced the reverse design. It shows a miniature cannon. Such cannons were once used as money in Brunei in the nineteenth century.
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See: The Royal Mint Museum.

<k>


Rwanda, 2 francs, 1970.


A design with a FAO (Food and Agricultural Organisation) theme from Mr Ironside.
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<k>


Somalia, 5 shillings, 1970.


Another of Mr Ironside's FAO-themed designs.
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See: The Royal Mint Museum.

<k>


Tanzania, 5 Shilingi, 1971.


Another FAO-themed design by Mr Ironside.
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See: The Royal Mint Museum.

<k>

Gibraltar 25  pence - 1971.jpg

Gibraltar, 25 pence, 1971.


Mr Ironside's charming design features a macaque monkey, commonly known as a "Barbary ape".
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<k>

Mauritius 10 rupees 1971.jpg

Mauritius, 10 rupees, 1971.


This Mauritius 10 rupees collector coin is depicted the extinct dodo bird.

It was another beautiful design by Mr Ironside.
Visit the website of The Royal Mint Museum.

See: The Royal Mint Museum.

<k>


Isle of Man, 50 pence, 1971.


Mr Ironside created the reverse designs for the Isle of Man's first modern circulation set, released in 1971.

Above you see my favourite design of the set, the reverse of the 50 pence coin, which depicts a Viking ship.


Visit the website of The Royal Mint Museum.

See: The Royal Mint Museum.