The Royal Mint releases collectable George Michael coin

The British Royal Mint has unveiled a collectable coin featuring singer George Michael that comes in a variety of colours and finishes.

The coin is part of The Royal Mint's music legends series, which also includes David Bowie, Elton John and Queen, and shows Michael wearing sunglasses and a jacket with an upturned collar.

It was designed by artist Sandra Deiana and features the colours black and red, which The Royal Mint said the singer used "prominently" throughout his career.

The coin also features a graphic visualisation of the refrain of Michael's song Faith and the sunglasses he wore in the corresponding music video.

"From the beginning of the project, I was clear about certain elements that I wanted to incorporate into the design," Deiana said.

"I wanted a detailed portrait that captured his charismatic expression – I was particularly thinking of his iconic sunglasses. It's amazing to be able to pay tribute to his music and what you see in the design is truly a piece of George Michael's song."

While the coin, like all Royal Mint UK coins, is legal tender, it was designed as a collectable coin and retails from £15.50. Its reverse features a picture of King Charles III.

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The coin release was approved by Michael's estate and comes after Michael's song Last Christmas reached number one in the UK charts in 2023, 39 years after its initial release.

"On behalf of George Michael, we are deeply honoured that the Royal Mint is paying tribute to him by creating a series of beautifully crafted coins," George Michael Entertainment said.

"He 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 limited-edition coin comes in different precious-metal versions as well as a variety of colours.

The Royal Mint has released numerous commemorative coins in the past, including a rainbow 50-pence coin that was launched to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Pride UK.

In 2022, the mint unveiled the first coins to include an effigy of King Charles III, which the institution described as "the biggest change to Britain's coinage in decades".