Liberty’s Modern Makeover

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Tower Mint in London has begun its first partnership with acclaimed Italian sculptor and coin designer Chiara Principe. She created a new collection of silver and gold collector coins with a Liberty-inspired Britannia issued for the Falklands Islands that went on sale on October 1.

The new coins were inspired by the Liberation Memorial on the Falklands Islands. The memorial was designed by Falklands sculptor Gerald Dixon and created to honor the British forces that served in the 1982 Falklands War when the United Kingdom successfully defended the islands against an invasion by Argentinian military forces.

The memorial features a bronze figure of Britannia sculpted by David Norris. It opened on June 14, known as Liberation Day, when Argentina surrendered in 1982.

The classic allegorical figure of Britannia, which has evolved over time, is a motif that Chiara revisits from time to time. In 2022 the East India Company in London issued a British Trade dollar with her modern representation of Britannia wearing a Corinthian helmet.

Liberty-Inspired Britannia

Britannia helped inspire the new Liberty design because she is a symbol of the liberation of the Falklands Islands. The motif also represents peace and freedom.

Chiara’s design provides a unique interpretation of this familiar icon—one that reflects her artistic style and approach to medallic art that blends tradition and modernity. It puts more emphasis on Britannia’s peaceful nature than her military side.

On the new coins, a female figure wears a Roman helmet that is decorated with flowers. Her wild hair flows across the coin, adding movement and fluidity to the design. There is a bird in flight next to her and flowers on her left, which convey the themes of peace and freedom. Underneath the figure is the inscription, DESIRE THE RIGHT, while above the bird is a large inscription, LIBERTY.

A Family Affair

Chiara noted of the Britannia-inspired Liberty design: “Seeing Liberty move from a drawing on my desk to a finished coin was incredibly special. The process also gave me an opportunity to discover the Falklands Islands and connect the design with a place I knew little about before. Every coin becomes a journey, and Liberty has been a meaningful one.”

To mark the start of her collaboration with the Tower Mint, Chiara went to London on August 17 with her husband and children where they each struck the very first examples of the new Liberty-inspired Britannia coins. Chiara said the first-strike ceremony was a very emotional experience for her, especially since she was able to show her family “what actually happens after my designs or plasters leave my desk.”

The coins are being issued in a wide range of sizes and finishes in silver and gold. The silver pieces include 1,2, and 5-ounce; a 1-kilo high-relief proof versions, and a 1-ounce brilliant-uncirculated coin. The gold includes a half-gram brilliant-uncirculated coin; tenth- fourth-, and half- ounce coins; and 1,2 and 5-ounce high-relief proofs. (For additional information see the Tower Mint website.)

Chiara Principe

Based in Rome, where she was trained in sculpture and the art of medal making, Chiara has created over 100 coins and medals for leading mints around the world since 2010, including extensive work for the Vatican and San Marino.

Last year, her 2024 50-euro gold coin for the Vatican won a prestigious Coin of the Year award for Best Gold Coin at the 2025 World’s Fair of Money® in Oklahoma City. During the 2026 show, she was part of a team of 20 leading artists assembled by Minted Assets who met with collectors and autographed their programs. Starting this year, all Luxembourg coinage features her portrait of that country’s head of state.

Tower Mint was established in 1976 by leading British sculptor Raphael Maklouf, who is best known for his effigy of the late Queen Elizabeth II. His design appeared on British and Commonwealth coins from 1985 to 1997. It is the last private mint that still operates in London.

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