The Stephen Hawking Medallion
To mark the interment of Professor Hawking’s ashes at Westminster Abbey on the 15th of June 2018, The Stephen Hawking Foundation, in association with Pobjoy Mint, struck a limited edition number of medallions, presented to special guests of the family at the reception after the service. This strictly limited edition coin will never be repeated and is not for sale.
One medallion was interred with Professor Hawking’s ashes, it’s sister was presented to the Dean and Chapter of Westminster Abbey, to go on display in the Abbey forever more, so that future generations have an immediate connection to his grave.
The medallions feature a depiction of Hawking Radiation on the obverse. The reverse features the Stephen Hawking Foundation logo, Professor Hawking’s name, his famous quote “Where there is life, there is hope” and the date of the service.
Every bearer of a medallion issued on the day will know that it’s equal rests in the grave and their descendants will be able to say, “my ancestor was there the day Professor Hawking was interred”. This symbolic presentation in a metal that will last for many ages, gives a sense of permanence to the day. The Foundation would like to think that as long as Professor Hawking’s grave exists in the Abbey, these medallions will exist somewhere in the world.
A special edition in Solid Silver
A very small number of coins were struck in solid silver to be presented to Professor Hawking’s family. Ben Glazier, MD of Glazier Design visited the mint and struck the first medallion with Taya Pobjoy. Ben said “it was a great honour and a privilege to see our work for Professor Hawking and his family minted in solid silver and cupro-nickel. Working for Professor Hawking, his Foundation and family has been the most exceptional period of our existence. Knowing that these medallions will exist far into the future when all trace of us is long gone, gives a sense of permanence to our work that is rarely seen. In a disposable culture we take a personal sense of satisfaction in creating objects of value that will be treasured by the recipients and their descendants. For the designers, it is a little piece of immortality.”
Hawking Radiation Illustration
The illustration was created by Glazier Design, based on a sketch from Professor Hawking’s blackboard and with the assistance of Nobel Prize Winner Professor Kip Thorne. The illustration was used on the Einstein to Hawking 100 Years of General Relativity stamps created by Glazier Design with Professor Hawking and the Isle of Man Post Office, and is a common theme through all materials created for the service.
Pobjoy Mint
The medallions were minted by Pobjoy Mint who say that they are “extremely proud and honoured to have been involved in the production of these medals to commemorate the life of such an intelligent and inspirational person – Professor Stephen Hawking”. Like so many people across the world, Pobjoy Mint had the greatest admiration for the one of the Greatest Britons of all time, but also the fact that he had courageously battled Motor Neurone Disease for so many years struck a personal chord with the Pobjoy family as the Managing Director’s Mother-in-law had been diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease in July 2016 and had sadly lost her battle in November 2016. As the Pobjoy family know only too well, the life expectancy following diagnosis of this terrible disease is from 18 months to 3 years and the fact that Stephen Hawking had not only survived for 55 years following his diagnosis but had also, in that time, made such an important impact on the world meant that this was a tribute Pobjoy Mint wanted to be a part of.
