20. October 2025

Freddie Mercury honored with Royal Mint collectible coin marking Live Aid's 40th anniversary

Freddie Mercury has been immortalized on a new collectible coin from The Royal Mint, timed to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Queen’s legendary Live Aid performance. The latest addition to the Mint’s Music Legends series—paying tribute to Britain’s most influential musicians—features Mercury mid-performance, alongside his autograph.

The design incorporates a musical stave wrapping around the coin, representing Mercury’s four-octave vocal range, while a studded armband engraved on the edge nods to his iconic Live Aid outfit. To mark the release, Mercury’s sister Kashmira Bulsara visited The Royal Mint in Llantrisant to strike the first coin herself.

“Striking the first coin was such an emotional and proud moment for me,” Bulsara said. “Freddie would have been absolutely thrilled to be honored like this, and to know his family played a part in bringing this tribute to life. The coin perfectly captures his passion and the joy he brought to millions through his music.”

In a nod to Mercury’s philanthropic legacy, The Royal Mint will donate a special gold proof version of the coin to the Mercury Phoenix Trust—the AIDS charity founded in his memory. The unique piece will be auctioned in the coming months, continuing Mercury’s mission to support those affected by HIV and AIDS.

Born Farrokh Bulsara in 1946, Mercury was Queen’s lead vocalist and pianist. He grew up in Zanzibar and India before his family fled to England in 1964 during the Zanzibar Revolution. In 1970, he formed Queen with guitarist Brian May and drummer Roger Taylor, penning iconic hits like “Bohemian Rhapsody,” “We Are the Champions,” and “Don’t Stop Me Now.”

Renowned for his charismatic stage presence, Mercury also had a successful solo career. He died in 1991 at the age of 45 from bronchial pneumonia, a complication of AIDS. Posthumously, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (2001), the Songwriters Hall of Fame (2003), and the UK Music Hall of Fame (2004).

The coin’s release coincides with the 40th anniversary of Queen’s historic 1985 Live Aid performance. Hailed as one of the greatest live shows of all time, the band wasn’t originally scheduled to appear at the benefit concert for the 1983-1985 Ethiopia famine. Their 21-minute set opened with an excerpt from “Bohemian Rhapsody,” followed by an upbeat version of “Radio Ga Ga”—during which the 72,000-strong crowd clapped in unison with Mercury.

Mercury then led the audience in an improvised “Aaaaaay-o” call-and-response, later dubbed “The Note Heard Round the World,” before closing with shortened versions of “We Will Rock You” and “We Are the Champions.”

Event organizer Bob Geldof later praised the band: “Queen were absolutely the best of the day. They played brilliantly, had the best sound, and used their time perfectly. They understood the global jukebox concept—just smashing out hit after hit. It was the perfect stage for Freddie—the whole world watching.”

The Music Legends coin series is available for purchase from The Royal Mint starting 18 November.

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