New coins to celebrate Return of the Jedi's 40th anniversary
The first coin of the collection features characters R2-D2 and C-3PO inside the Millennium Falcon
At a glance
A new collection of coins is being launched by the Royal Mint to celebrate Return of the Jedi's 40th anniversary
The first coin features characters R2-D2 and C-3P0 inside the Millennium Falcon
The coins have a special lenticular feature, which reveal symbols when tilted in the light
- Published
The original Star Wars films start with the iconic words "a long, long time ago in a galaxy far, far away".
And while it it may seem like yesterday to some fans that they were released, it is now 40 years since the third instalment, Return of the Jedi, hit cinema screens.
To mark the anniversary, four coins will be released by The Royal Mint Experience in Llantrisant, Rhondda Cynon Taf.
The first features characters R2-D2 and C-3PO inside the star ship, the Millennium Falcon.
It is the first time the iconic characters of the original Star Wars trilogy will feature on official UK coins.
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The collection will also feature some of the other iconic characters such as Darth Vader, Emperor Palpatine, Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, Han Solo and Chewbacca.
Coins remain the number one collected item in the UK and therefore the new collection will likely be a hit for avid Star Wars fans, officials from the Royal Mint believe.
The quarter ounce gold coin has a static image in place of the lenticular feature
Experienced coin designer Ffion Gwillim helped bring the brainchild of American moviemaker George Lucas to life on the UK coins, working in collaboration with The Walt Disney Company.
Combining traditional minting techniques with cutting-edge technology, The Royal Mint, external has reproduced R2-D2 and C-3PO characters in vivid colour for the first time on official UK coins.
A lenticular feature on the first coin in the collection also means both Luke Skywalker's home planet Tatooine and the Rebel Alliance Starbird logo are visible when it is tilted in the light.
'Out-of-this-world collection'
Director of Collector Services at The Royal Mint Rebecca Morgan said: "We are delighted to launch an out-of-this-world collection to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Star Wars: Return of the Jedi.
"We are excited to enthuse new and existing coin collectors across the world, as well as Star Wars' thriving fan base both in the United Kingdom, and internationally, with the launch of this collection."