From Muckle Roe to the Royal Mint as Kelly joins advisory committee
DIP your hand into your pocket and among the change might just be a £2 coin designed in Muckle Roe.
Master silversmith Rod Kelly created the design for the 2006 coin – depicting engineer Isambard Kingdom Brunel – at his home, with nearly eight million issued.
The 69-year-old’s association with the Royal Mint has now strengthened, however, after he was appointed to its advisory committee.
The committee reviews new designs of UK coins and medals, and then recommends them to the government.
With more than 40 years of experience, Kelly specialises in making one-off commissions in silver and gold, and has an illustrious client list which includes No.10 Downing Street, St Paul’s Cathedral and the V&A Museum.
He has had his workshop in Muckle Roe for around 13 years, while he bought his house there in 2004.
Kelly said the appointment to the Royal Mint advisory committee involves a few trips to London a year, while the next meeting in May is due to take place at none other than Buckingham Palace.
He is part of a panel which will decide on proposals from designers in a sort of “competition” – a process he went through himself for the 2006 two pound coin.
Kelly has also designed an uncirculated £5 coin celebrating the reign of Queen Elizabeth the first.
He said the idea for the £2 coin design came after he bought a book on Brunel, adding that he was “very lucky to be selected”.
Although millions were issued, Kelly said they are quite rare – adding he often tries to keep an eye out in case he comes across any.
“It’s always a bit embarrassing because when people give me a handful of change, I look at the change to see what the designs are, because I’m quite interested in coins,” he said.
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“They always think I’m checking the change – but I’m just looking at the coins, and if it’s a two pound coin, to see if I can find one of my own.”
The process usually sees a few designers invited to put forward ideas for coins, with the committee offering feedback and then ultimately recommending one for approval.
Kelly said a lot of coins do not actually enter circulation, but are sold by the Royal Mint worldwide to collectors.
Meanwhile with ongoing conflict elsewhere in the world affecting the financial climate, the silversmith questions if cash might regain a bit of popularity in an era of contactless card payments.
“There’s a change in the way we’re looking now at cash – very few people are carrying cash, but with the economic state of the world, that might come back into more use, I think,” Kelly said.
“People are going to be more careful with their money, and I think if they’ve got pounds in the pocket they’re more careful than they are just using their card for everything.”
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