The Victoria Line Reappears on a Coin!

This commemorative coin, "Underground 2 Pound," features a bimetallic design with a cupronickel inner ring and a nickel-brass outer ring. The obverse side bears the traditional portrait of Queen Elizabeth II, while Barber Osgerby designed the graphic on the reverse.

The design motif is the Victoria Line as it was in 1967. This train, cherished by Londoners as an iconic symbol of the Underground, possesses a minimalist beauty. The graphic depicts a train emerging from a dark tunnel, symbolizing the long history of London's subway system through the passage of time from past to present. The composition of a train emerging from a tunnel has been a recurring motif in London Underground imagery and is familiar to the public.

Furthermore, the railway tracks, depicted as traversing both the inner and outer rings of the coin, create a sense of dynamism, as if the train is in motion. The edge of the coin is engraved with railway lines, reminiscent of Underground maps, subtly incorporating Barber Osgerby's initials, "B" and "O," as their signature.

This 2-pound coin, featuring the British Underground system that began in 1863, as interpreted by today's leading designers, is scheduled to enter circulation in the UK from 2013.