Is new WWI £2 coin design too jingoistic? Backlash on Twitter after Royal Mint unveils 'Your Country Needs You' image to mark anniversary of the Great War



New coin commemorating First World War will enter circulation in 2014

Features Lord Kitchener's famous call to arms which led to 2.5million men joining up

But social media users accused the Mint of trying to 'rebrand' the conflict

Some pointed out Lord Kitchener's 'shameful' association with concentration camps, used in the Boer War

Royal Mint said the design was chosen because of its strong association with the outbreak of war in 1914, and was judged worthy by a committee



The coin is one of several designed by Royal Mint to mark British anniversaries



A new £2 coin launched to commemorate the start of the First World War has been criticised for being too jingoisitc and glorifying war, after the Royal Mint chose a design featuring an army recruitment poster.

Former War Minister Lord Kitchener is shown on the coin in military uniform pointing towards the viewer and saying 'Your country needs YOU' - an image which symbolised the early optimism of the war, which would claim almost a million British lives.

But while the Mint described the image as 'powerful' and 'instantly recognisable', sceptical users took to social media to accuse them of attempting a 'rebrand' of the conflict.



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Minted: The image was chosen to appear on a commemorative £2 coin earlier this year

Predicting 'wall-to-wall jingoism', users said the Mint made a 'shameful' decision to glorify a military leader, rather than honouring the loss of rank-and-file soldiers.

The coin is being produced by the Royal Mint as part of a collection designed specifically for events in 2014.



The former War Minister, who is also associated with the use of concentration camps in the Boer war, has proved a controversial decision with those who view the image of a red poppy as a more fitting tribute to the conflict.



Military figure: It has been suggested that Lord Kitchener, shown here in full military uniform, was an inappropriate choice

Twitter user Andrew Reid wrote: 'Just saw the Kitchener £2 coin. The official rebrand of WWI is apparently underway. It's going to be wall-to-wall jingoism, isn't it?', while Adam Murray said: 'That's not a sombre symbol of WW1 Remembrance. Should be a poppy or a soldier.'

Trevor Warner added: 'Shameful that the Royal Mint are issuing a £2 coin in 2014 with a portrait of Lord Kitchener, the man who gave the world concentration camps.' Another said: 'New £2 coin glorifies ad campaign that led young men to needless death.'



Almost 2.5million men volunteered for Lord Kitchener's 'New Army' after a recruitment drive in 1914 and 1915 featuring the posters.

But once the harsh realities of life on the front lines became clear, many of the young men who had volunteered for service felt betrayed by patriotic materials glorifying war to encourage them to sign up.

Kevin Clancy, director of the Royal Mint Museum, said the Kitchener coin would be the first in a series that will follow the progress of the First World War, amid centenary events over the next five years.



He added: ‘It’s got a very familiar design, Lord Kitchener pointing out from the face of the coin, as he did from the contemporary posters, asking people at the time to sign up for the Army.’

The Royal Mint has been criticised for its choice of image, which it described as 'powerful' and 'instantly recognisable'.

Imitative: The redesigned coin (left) features the mustachioed face of First World War recruitment (right)



Indeed, a page on the Royal Mint's website, offering the coin, along with an information pack, for £10 suggests it could be used to 'honour someone in your family who played their part' in the war.

It explained: 'In 1914 Lord Kitchener was appointed to mastermind a recruitment campaign that would go on to create one of the largest volunteer armies ever known in Britain.

'Though many posters encouraged the men of Britain to enlist, the image of Kitchener himself has come to stand for the call to fight for King and country that saw men respond in their thousands.



'Perhaps you wish to honour someone in your family who played their part, or pay your respects as the nation remembers. Maybe you have an interest in military history or want to learn more about such a significant time. You will want to secure one of these Brilliant Uncirculated £2 coins.'

The Royal Mint said that the image of Kitchener 'has come to stand for the call to fight for King and country', which is why it was judged worthy of its 'national theme' by an advisory committee.

A statement said: 'The Royal Mint is one of the world’s oldest and most venerable organisations, with an unbroken history of minting British coinage dating back over 1000 years.



'[The coin] was selected to mark the 100th anniversary of the start of the First World War because it has come to be so strongly associated with the outbreak of the war.



'Though many posters encouraged the men of Britain to enlist, the image of Kitchener himself has come to stand for the call to fight for King and country that saw men respond in their thousands.



'The launch of every new coin must go through a rigorous planning and design selection process governed by an independent panel, known as The Royal Mint Advisory Committee (RMAC).



'The RMAC is an advisory non-departmental public body of HM Treasury comprising history, art and design specialists, and is responsible for ensuring that the coin that reaches the public meets the highest standards of quality and artistic merit, and is worthy of its national theme.'



Paying tribute: Another redesigned £2 coin pays tribute to the 500th anniversary of Trinity House, the coastal defences that have protected Britain's waters since 1514. The back of the coin features the Queen's portrait











New designs: A 50p marking the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow next year will also enter circulation in 2014



As well as the Kitchener design, the Mint unveiled five new designs for several denomination of coins, including £2, £1, 50p and a special edition £5 coin.



ROYAL MINT'S 2014 COIN DESIGNS

100th Anniversary of First World War (£2)

This coin is part of a five-year commemoration of the First World War. It bears sculptor John Bergdahl’s powerful likeness of the instantly recognisable call to arms by Lord Kitchener. 500th Anniversary of Trinity House (£2)

Designed by Joe Whitlock-Blundell and David Eccles, this coin features an image of a lighthouse lens - the enduring symbol of safety on the seas.

It pays tribute to the lighthouses and pilot ships of Trinity House, who have safeguarded Britain's waters for more than 500 years.

British Isles floral emblems (£1)

Last year saw the start of a £1 coin series celebrating the floral emblems of the British Isles. These two new designs by Timothy Noad feature a thistle and bluebell for Scotland and a flax plant and shamrock for Northern Ireland.



Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games (50p) Designed by Alex Loudon and Dan Flashman, this sport features two of the most iconic Commonwealth sports – athletics and cycling – in addition to the Saltire of Scotland and lettering inspired by Charles Rennie Mackintosh



Among these is another £2 coin which pays tribute to the 500th anniversary of Trinity House.

The organisation, which runs the UK’s lighthouses, was set up during the reign of Henry VIII, in 1514.



The other is the instantly recognisable call to arms by Lord Kitchener - commemorating the start of World War One on July 28, 1914.

Two new floral designs for £1 coins - featuring a thistle and bluebell for Scotland and a flax plant and shamrock for Northern Ireland - will also enter circulation in 2014.

They will join a rose design for England and a daffodil for Wales that are already used and exchanged in the UK on a daily basis.

A 50 pence piece commemorating the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow next year will also be launched - with a special edition £5 coin completing the Royal Mint's new collection.



Created by sculptor Mark Richards, the £5 piece marks the 300th anniversary of the death of Queen Anne.



The back of each coin will continue to carry the current portrait of Queen Elizabeth II by Ian Rank-Broadley FRBS.

The new designs are expected to be sought after in a similar way to the 29 different London 2012 Olympic Games 50 pence coins, which quickly became the Royal Mint's most collected coin.

Shane Bissett, director of commemorative coin at the Royal Mint, said: 'The Royal Mint has celebrated moments of national and cultural significance for over 1,000 years.

'The designs that go onto our country’s coins for 2014 will represent this sparking intrigue and interest in the story each one tells.

Emblems: Floral designs for Northern Ireland and Scotland, created by Timothy Noad, have also been launched

Tradition: The typical purse-filling coins of 1p to £1 will continue to carry sections of the royal coat of arms

'With this in mind we wanted to reveal the coins to the British public and show the incredible works of art they can expect to see enter circulation this year.



'This will no doubt entice many to take a closer look at their change, collect their favourites and realise that many might be worth holding on to.'