Description

The Dame Shirley Bassey collectable coin is the sixth in The Royal Mint's "Music Legends" series, which celebrates legendary British artists through original new designs. This latest coin follows designs in honor of music icons Queen, Elton John, David Bowie, The Who and The Rolling Stones.

Dame Shirley Veronica Bassey is a Welsh singer. Best known for her career longevity and powerful voice, Bassey is widely regarded as one of the most popular vocalists in Britain.

Born in Cardiff, Bassey began performing as a teenager in 1953. In 1959, she became the first Welsh person to gain a number-one single on the UK Singles Chart. In the following decades, Bassey amassed 27 Top 40 hits in the UK, including two number-ones. She became well-known for recording the soundtrack theme songs of the James Bond films Goldfinger (1964), Diamonds Are Forever (1971), and Moonraker (1979). In 2020, Bassey became the first female artist to chart an album in the Top 40 of the UK Albums Chart in seven consecutive decades with her album I Owe It All To You.

Bassey has also had numerous BBC television specials, and she hosted her own variety series, Shirley Bassey. In 2011, BBC aired the television film Shirley, based on Bassey's life and career. Bassey received the first award for Best British Female Solo Artist at the 1st Brit Awards in 1977. She was appointed a Dame in 1999 for services to the performing arts. In 2003, she was ranked among the "100 Great Black Britons". Her song "Goldfinger" was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2008. She has influenced many other singers, including Aretha Franklin.

In a career spanning over 70 years, Bassey has sold over 140 million records worldwide, making her one of the best-selling female artist of all time.