Royal Mint designed 60p coin to mark Queen's Diamond Jubilee

A 60p coin was on the verge of being created for the first time to mark the Queen's Diamond Jubilee, newly-released documents reveal.

The Royal Mint produced a design of the six-sided coin, carried out research which found support for the concept, and committed "not to issue only in connection with the Diamond Jubilee".

But a 60p piece for public sale was shelved despite being recommended to Chancellor George Osborne as part of the celebrations to commemorate the Queen's 60 years on the throne.

The Royal Mint said it took an internal decision not to progress with the 60p as it believed its programme of commemorative coins for the Diamond Jubilee was "sufficiently comprehensive" following a review of its suggestions.

The details have come to light after the Press Association used Freedom of Information laws to secure the release of themes considered by the Royal Mint Advisory Committee, the quango responsible for recommending designs of coins to the Treasury.

The Royal Mint initially refused to release the documents but was forced to disclose them by the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) following a successful appeal by the PA.

But the Royal Mint declined to release the image of the proposed 60p coin, which was not intended for general circulation but as a commemorative collectable, on the grounds of "commercial sensitivity".

A document from Kevin Clancy, secretary to the Royal Mint Advisory Committee, and addressed to the Master of the Mint - Mr Osborne - under the subject "additional United Kingdom coins for Diamond Jubilee" was written on February 24 2011.

This was part of the regular process used by the Royal Mint to suggest ideas to the Treasury and to secure ministerial and then royal approval for new coin designs.

The document noted the Royal Mint was "concerned" that such an event of "huge national importance" should be marked with more than one type of coin, adding that Treasury officials had "no objection" to what it was proposing.

Under the recommendation section is included "a new 60p coin" while it is further noted that officials wanted Mr Osborne's approval within two weeks and royal approval after a further fortnight.

The document states: "It is recommended that an entirely new denomination coin - a 60p piece - should be produced to commemorate the 60 years of Her Majesty's reign.

"The proposed coin would be a six-sided bi-colour coin with round of nickel-brass and a shaped outer of cupro-nickel. A visual of what the obverse of the coin might look like is attached.

"The coin would be issued for commemorative purposes only, there being no intention for it to be issued into general circulation.

"A coin of this shape and denomination has never been issued before in the United Kingdom and the Royal Mint undertakes not to issue only in connection with the Diamond Jubilee.

"Research has been conducted amongst consumers with a majority expressing a preference for the issue of such a coin."

The recommendation at the end of the ministerial submission, which also included a Diamond Jubilee kilo coin, stated: "It is judged that the the issue of these new United Kingdom coins will be free from any risk of controversy and will, in fact, meet with wide general appeal.

"If ministers are content to approve the proposals set out in this submission a royal submission will be prepared."

But the 60p piece was not included in the coins released for the Diamond Jubilee in 2012, which sold thousands and included - among others - different versions of a £5 coin.

Gerry Buddle, a specialist at the London Numismatic Club, said he would have liked to have seen a 60p coin for general circulation, although he believed a commemorative one would have had a "certain curiosity interest" and made a nice souvenir.

He said: "I think the idea of a 60p coin was actually quite imaginative for the Royal Mint, who are usually very conservative about their approach to our currency.

"That was probably why the idea was finally dropped - I suspect the senior staff at the Mint felt it was too gimmicky.

"Though a look at the coinage of the first Queen Elizabeth shows much less caution with such odd denominations as 3/4d or 1 1/2d (a penny-halfpenny)."