The sudden death of superstar Michael Jackson in June 2009 shocked the world and the Bank of Sierra Leone has released a coin to honour the life of one of the world’s greatest performers. The remembering Micheal Jackson Silver proof and cupro nickel coin are minted by Pobjoy Mint and not intended for sale in the United states. Pobjoy Mint is a minting company based in Kingswood park, Southern England. The Company has been deeply involved in the development and manufacture of coins, medals and tokens for the past 100 years.
Michael Jackson started performing at the age of six as part of ‘The Jackson 5’ with his four brothers. He went on to become one of the best-selling musical artists of all time and his 1982 album ‘Thriller’ is still the most successful album of all time, having sold 110 million copies worldwide. A global icon for over four decades, Michael Jackson was as famous for his dancing and trademark clothes, including the solo white glove and hat, as he was for his singing.
In March 2009, he announced that he would be doing a number of concert dates at the O2 arena in London, called ‘This is it’ during July and August and they were a sell-out. Unfortunately, on 25th June 2009, Michael Jackson suffered a heart-attack at his home in Los Angeles and never regained consciousness. He has left behind a legacy of music that still sounds as fresh and relevant as it did twenty years ago.
The reverse design of the coin features a portrait of Michael Jackson with the wording ‘1958 Michael Jackson 2009’ in the surround. The obverse of the coin features the Republic of Sierra Leone’s Coat of Arms and is available in Cupro Nickel, Proof Sterling Silver and Proof 999.9 Gold. You can buy this piece of pop history at Pobjoy Mint website.