United Kingdom (Great Britain) Charles III 5 Pounds

History

5 Pounds 2023, United Kingdom (Great Britain), Charles III, 40th Anniversary of the Star Wars, Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia

5 Pounds 2023, United Kingdom (Great Britain), Charles III, 40th Anniversary of the Star Wars, Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia, Box with a certificate of authenticity

Obverse. Photo © Royal Mint

Description

The Royal Mint has launched a series dedicated to the incredibly successful Star Wars film franchise. Created by George Lucas, Star Wars started with the 1977 film and quickly became a global pop culture phenomenon. It has expanded into various media forms, including films, TV series, video games, novels, and theme park attractions, building a vast fictional universe. Star Wars is one of the highest-grossing media franchises ever.

In relation to the Star Wars project, production was moved to England's Elstree Studios to save costs. Many scenes were shot in England, featuring British actors, including those who played C-3PO and R2-D2. The actual Star Wars robots were constructed by the English company Peteric Engineering. The United Kingdom played a crucial role in creating the film's special effects, earning recognition for their originality and creativity.

All nine films of the "Skywalker Saga" received Academy Award nominations, with the first two winning awards. When combined with the anthology films Rogue One and Solo, the franchise's total box office revenue surpassed $10 billion, making it the second highest-grossing film franchise of all time.

Obverse	Person (king, queen, tsar etc.) Charles III Depicts King Charles III’s effigy, surrounded by the Latin inscription. Engraver's initials on the neck. CHARLES III DEI GRATIA REX FIDEI DEFENSOR means King Charles III, by the Grace of God King, Defender of the Faith. Engraver: Martin Jennings (MJ) •CHARLES III•D•G•REX•F•D•5 POUNDS•2023 MJ
Reverse	Character (book, movie, cartoon etc.) Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia Movie-themed Star Wars Depicts Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia. As part of the motif, a special lenticular image feature relating to the iconic duo is placed above the primary design. Below is the iconic STAR WARS logo. Luke Skywalker is a fictional character and the protagonist of the original film trilogy of the Star Wars franchise. Portrayed by Mark Hamill, Luke first appeared in Star Wars (1977), and he returned in The Empire Strikes Back (1980) and Return of the Jedi (1983). Over three decades later, Hamill returned as Luke in the Star Wars sequel trilogy, cameoing in The Force Awakens (2015) before playing a major role in The Last Jedi (2017) and The Rise of Skywalker (2019). He later played a digitally de-aged version of the character in the Disney+ series The Mandalorian, appearing in the second-season finale, which premiered in 2020, and The Book of Boba Fett, in the sixth episode, released in 2022. Princess Leia Organa is a fictional character and one of the main protagonists in the Star Wars franchise, portrayed in films by Carrie Fisher. Introduced in the original Star Wars film in 1977, Leia is princess of the planet Alderaan, a member of the Imperial Senate and an agent of the Rebel Alliance. She thwarts the sinister Sith Lord Darth Vader and helps bring about the destruction of the Empire's cataclysmic superweapon, the Death Star. In The Empire Strikes Back (1980), Leia commands a Rebel base and evades Vader as she falls in love with the smuggler Han Solo. In Return of the Jedi (1983), Leia helps in the operation to rescue Han from the crime lord Jabba the Hutt and is revealed to be Vader's daughter and the twin sister of Luke Skywalker. Design: Ffion Gwillim STAR WARS © & ™ Lucasfilm Ltd.
Edge	Reeded (milled)