2021 The Who 1oz Gold Proof NGC PF70 Ultra Cameo First Releases
£5,495.00
The 2021 The Who 1oz Gold Proof celebrates one of Britain’s most influential rock bands and marked the first appearance of The Who on an official UK coin. With a Maximum Coin Mintage of just 360, the coin is struck in 999.9 fine gold and features Henry Gray’s band-approved design. This example is certified NGC PF70 Ultra Cameo with the First Releases designation – the highest numerical Proof grade – with an NGC PF70 Ultra Cameo population of just 64 and none graded higher at the time of checking.
1 in stock (can be backordered)
Description
2021 The Who 1oz Gold Proof NGC PF70 Ultra Cameo First Releases
The 2021 The Who 1oz Gold Proof was issued by The Royal Mint as part of its Music Legends collection, celebrating one of the most influential bands in British rock history.
The release represented the first time The Who had been showcased on an official UK coin.
Created by artist Henry Gray and approved by the band, the reverse incorporates recognisable elements from The Who’s history and visual identity into a distinctive music-inspired composition.
The Royal Mint produced the one-ounce Gold Proof with a:
Maximum Coin Mintage of 360
and a:
Limited Edition Presentation of 350
The Royal Mint’s subsequently published sales figures record 340 examples sold of the 2021 The Who One Ounce Gold Proof.
This particular example has been independently authenticated and certified by Numismatic Guaranty Company (NGC) as:
PF70 ULTRA CAMEO
with the additional:
FIRST RELEASES
designation.
At the time of checking on 28 August 2026, the NGC certification evidence supplied for this issue records:
NGC PF70 Ultra Cameo Population: 64
Higher Grades: 0
NGC Top Pop
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Why This Coin Stands Out
- Maximum Coin Mintage of just 360
- Limited Edition Presentation of 350
- Royal Mint recorded sales of 340
- First time The Who appeared on an official UK coin
- Part of The Royal Mint’s Music Legends collection
- Certified NGC PF70 Ultra Cameo
- First Releases designation
- Highest numerical Proof grade
- NGC PF70 Ultra Cameo population of just 64 at the time of checking
- 0 graded higher
- NGC Top Pop
- Struck in 999.9 fine gold
- 31.21g total weight
- £100 denomination
- Reverse designed by Henry Gray
- Design approved by The Who
- Queen Elizabeth II obverse by Jody Clark
- Produced by The Royal Mint
The combination of a 360 Maximum Coin Mintage, The Who’s first appearance on official UK coinage and PF70 Ultra Cameo certification with the additional First Releases designation gives this particular example a strong identity within modern British music-themed numismatics.
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Specifications
Year: 2021
Country of Issue: United Kingdom
Denomination: £100
Series: Music Legends
Subject: The Who
Issuing Authority: The Royal Mint
Metal: Gold
Fineness: 999.9 Fine Gold
Weight: 31.21g
Diameter: 32.69mm
Quality: Proof
Edge: Milled
Maximum Coin Mintage: 360
Limited Edition Presentation: 350
Royal Mint Recorded Sales: 340
Reverse Designer: Henry Gray
Obverse: Queen Elizabeth II
Obverse Designer: Jody Clark
Grading Company: NGC
Grade: PF70 Ultra Cameo
Designation: First Releases
NGC PF70 Ultra Cameo Population: 64
Higher Grades: 0
NGC Status: Top Pop
Population Checked: 28 August 2026
The Royal Mint directly confirms the £100 denomination, Maximum Coin Mintage of 360, 999.9 fine-gold alloy, 31.21g weight, 32.69mm diameter, Henry Gray reverse, Jody Clark obverse, Proof quality and milled edge.
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Maximum Coin Mintage of Just 360
One of the strongest characteristics of the 2021 The Who One Ounce Gold Proof is its low original Maximum Coin Mintage.
The Royal Mint officially states:
Maximum Coin Mintage: 360
with a:
Limited Edition Presentation: 350.
These figures describe different aspects of the issue.
The Maximum Coin Mintage of 360 establishes the maximum number of this coin permitted across all presentations.
The Limited Edition Presentation of 350 relates specifically to the number available in this particular Royal Mint presentation.
The Royal Mint’s subsequently published sales data records:
340 sales
for the One Ounce Gold Proof.
The sales figure should not be confused with the Maximum Coin Mintage. It records sales rather than establishing how many coins were ultimately struck.
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The First Official UK Coin Celebrating The Who
The 2021 release marked an important first for the band.
The Royal Mint explicitly identifies the issue as the first time The Who had been showcased on an official UK coin.
The coin joined The Royal Mint’s Music Legends collection, created to celebrate influential British musicians through official UK coinage.
For collectors of music memorabilia as well as modern British coins, the release therefore combines two distinct areas of interest: an official Royal Mint Gold Proof and a numismatic tribute to one of Britain’s best-known rock bands.
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The Who – British Rock Legends
Formed in London during the 1960s, The Who became one of the defining bands of British rock music.
Their influence extended beyond individual recordings to live performance, rock opera and an instantly recognisable visual identity.
Rather than using a conventional portrait of the band, The Royal Mint’s coin tells their story through imagery associated with their career.
This approach gives the coin a distinctly different character from a traditional portrait-based commemorative issue.
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Henry Gray’s The Who Design
The reverse was created by artist Henry Gray, with The Royal Mint confirming that the design was approved by the band.
The composition incorporates visual references associated with The Who, including a guitar, pinball machine and speaker, while the band’s familiar visual identity is integrated into the overall design.
These elements reference different aspects of The Who’s music and history rather than simply reproducing a conventional portrait of the band.
The result is one of the more visually distinctive designs within The Royal Mint’s Music Legends collection.
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NGC PF70 Ultra Cameo
This particular example has been independently authenticated, encapsulated and graded by NGC as:
PF70 ULTRA CAMEO
PF70 represents the highest numerical Proof grade on NGC’s 70-point grading scale.
NGC defines a grade of 70 as having no post-production imperfections visible at 5x magnification.
The Ultra Cameo designation applies specifically to Proof coins. NGC uses it where the fields are deeply mirrored and the devices heavily frosted, producing bold contrast on both sides of the coin.
This example therefore combines NGC’s highest numerical Proof grade with its Ultra Cameo designation.
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NGC First Releases
This example also carries NGC’s:
FIRST RELEASES
designation.
NGC awards First Releases to selected coins received by NGC or an NGC-approved depository within the first 30 days of release.
The designation is recorded as part of the coin’s certification and appears on this coin’s First Releases Blue label.
Importantly, First Releases relates to the timing of the coin’s receipt by NGC or an approved depository. It should not be interpreted as meaning that the coin was necessarily one of the first examples physically struck by The Royal Mint.
NGC also confirms that First Releases is a releases designation, separate from the coin’s numerical grade and Ultra Cameo strike character.
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NGC Population – 64 in PF70 Ultra Cameo
At the time of checking on 28 August 2026, the NGC certification evidence supplied for this issue records:
NGC PF70 Ultra Cameo Population: 64
Higher Grades: 0
NGC Top Pop
This particular coin additionally carries the:
First Releases designation
These details are deliberately stated separately.
The certification evidence supplied establishes that this individual coin is PF70 Ultra Cameo First Releases, while the displayed population figure is described simply as the PF70 Ultra Cameo population of 64.
The population is particularly noteworthy when considered alongside the original Royal Mint issue:
Maximum Coin Mintage: 360
NGC PF70 Ultra Cameo Population: 64
These figures measure two entirely different things.
The 360 Maximum Coin Mintage relates to the maximum number permitted by The Royal Mint.
The 64 NGC population records the number shown by NGC at PF70 Ultra Cameo at the time of checking.
NGC Census figures can change as additional coins are certified, which is why the population is accompanied by the date on which it was checked.
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One Ounce of 999.9 Fine Gold
The 2021 The Who Gold Proof is struck in:
999.9 Fine Gold
with a total coin weight of:
31.21g
The coin carries a denomination of:
£100
and measures:
32.69mm in diameter.
The Royal Mint identifies the product as its One Ounce Gold Proof Coin, combining high-purity gold with a Maximum Coin Mintage of 360 and a design created specifically to celebrate The Who.
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The Queen Elizabeth II Obverse
The obverse carries the fifth and final definitive coinage portrait of Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, designed by Jody Clark.
The Royal Mint confirms Jody Clark as the obverse designer of the 2021 The Who One Ounce Gold Proof.
Issued in 2021, the coin belongs to the final years of Queen Elizabeth II’s reign and carries the definitive portrait introduced to British coinage in 2015.
The combination of Jody Clark’s established royal portrait with Henry Gray’s contemporary music-inspired reverse creates a distinctive contrast between traditional British coinage and modern popular culture.
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A Low-Mintage Music Legends Gold Proof
This particular coin brings together:
Maximum Coin Mintage of 360
First official UK coin celebrating The Who
Music Legends collection
999.9 fine gold
Henry Gray band-approved reverse
Queen Elizabeth II by Jody Clark
NGC PF70 Ultra Cameo
NGC First Releases designation
PF70 Ultra Cameo population of 64
0 graded higher
NGC Top Pop
These characteristics give the coin appeal across modern British numismatics, Gold Proof collecting and music memorabilia.
The combination of its low Maximum Coin Mintage, PF70 Ultra Cameo grade and additional First Releases designation makes this a particularly distinctive certified example of The Royal Mint’s tribute to The Who.
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Image Information
The slab images shown may include digitally produced representations for presentation purposes, with certification numbers and barcodes omitted.
Where detailed close-up photographs of the actual coin are shown, these provide a closer view of the genuine coin offered for sale.
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Why Buy from Sterling Bullion Partners?
Every certified coin offered by Sterling Bullion Partners is carefully selected for its quality, authenticity and collector appeal.
When purchasing from Sterling Bullion Partners, you benefit from:
- Carefully selected certified coins
- Independently authenticated and professionally graded examples
- Detailed grading and population information
- Fully insured UK delivery
- Secure protective packaging
- Experienced customer support
- A UK precious-metals dealer committed to accuracy and transparency
With a Maximum Coin Mintage of just 360, NGC PF70 Ultra Cameo certification, First Releases designation and an NGC PF70 Ultra Cameo population of 64 at the time of checking, this represents a distinctive certified example of The Who’s first appearance on official UK coinage.
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