# Prince William Commemorative coin **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [June 20, 2003, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prince-william-commemorative-coin/183143 "2003-06-20T13:15:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![One\_And\_Only\_Wanderers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/838e76/32.png) [@One\_And\_Only\_Wanderers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/One_And_Only_Wanderers)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2003, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prince-william-commemorative-coin/183143/1 "2003-06-20T13:15:09Z")
Firstly, I have nothing against commemorative coins in general, but have a look at this link to the new gold kilo coin with a face value of £1000. [http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm\_792432.html?menu=](http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_792432.html?menu=) Point the first That is the absolute worst portrait i have seen on any coin ANYWHERE. No way is this baby sitting in my pocket. (assuming a lottery win enabling me to have the choice.) Point the second £14,500 thousand for a coin with a legal tender value of £1000. Do they think I’m insane?!?! Now I understand that if you buy a commemorative coin at its face value, then over time it will become collectible and increase, but when you have to buy the thing at 14.5 times its face value whats the freaking point?!?!? ---
**Author:** ![Duke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e8c25b/32.png) [@Duke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2003, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prince-william-commemorative-coin/183143/2 "2003-06-20T13:17:51Z")
Holy flip. I clicked on that link, since I used to collect coins and I’d seen some ugly potraits on coins in my time (George III-as-Roman emperor, for example). I thought, how bad could it be? Ugliest. Coin. Ever. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2003, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prince-william-commemorative-coin/183143/3 "2003-06-20T13:29:54Z")
Heavens. Having just watched both Harry Potter movies, I can state that he looks exactly like the Slytherin with the bad teeth. And that’s not a good thing, considering how good-looking the kid is in real life. Yikes almighty. ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2003, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prince-william-commemorative-coin/183143/4 "2003-06-20T13:35:34Z")
That’s one scary portrait there… reminds me of some of the art projects I’ve seen at 4-H exhibits. I don’t think it looks a thing like the prince. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2003, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prince-william-commemorative-coin/183143/5 "2003-06-20T13:35:36Z")
[There.](http://www.fronskiefeint.com/cosslytherinquidditch.jpg) On the left. Eeeeevil. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2003, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prince-william-commemorative-coin/183143/6 "2003-06-20T13:38:40Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Carl\_A\_Norris \* > \*\*Now I understand that if you buy a commemorative coin at its face value, then over time it will become collectible and increase, but when you have to buy the thing at 14.5 times its face value whats the freaking point?!?!? \*\* Yes, it seems that the mint nowadays wants to get in on the financial benefits of collectible coins with none of the risk of being an actual collector. They determine, by fiat, what will be a collectible coin and how much to charge for it. I just hope that everyone realizes what a fucking butt-ugly piece of shit this coin is, and that no-one buys it. ---
**Author:** ![Nuke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ea666f/32.png) [@Nuke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nuke)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2003, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prince-william-commemorative-coin/183143/7 "2003-06-20T14:32:03Z")
1 KG of gold = 35.2 oz 35.2 oz times ~$350 per ounce = $12320 of bullion value plus a bit for markup and the ugly portait. So $14500 really isn’t **THAT** out of line. ---
**Author:** ![One\_And\_Only\_Wanderers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/838e76/32.png) [@One\_And\_Only\_Wanderers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/One_And_Only_Wanderers)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2003, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prince-william-commemorative-coin/183143/8 "2003-06-20T14:36:07Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Nuke \* > \*\*1 KG of gold = 35.2 oz > 35.2 oz times ~$350 per ounce = $12320 of bullion value > plus a bit for markup and the ugly portait. So $14500 really isn’t **THAT** out of line. \*\* not $, its £ and the current exchange rate is £1 = $1.66884, also i see no mention of the weight of the coin. Where did you come across it? ---
**Author:** ![One\_And\_Only\_Wanderers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/838e76/32.png) [@One\_And\_Only\_Wanderers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/One_And_Only_Wanderers)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2003, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prince-william-commemorative-coin/183143/9 "2003-06-20T14:37:21Z")
nm i see the assumption. I took the kilo coin to refer to the 1000 in the value but i see your point ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2003, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prince-william-commemorative-coin/183143/10 "2003-06-20T14:45:28Z")
Umm, that’s 1000 pounds, not 1000 grams. ---
**Author:** ![Nuke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ea666f/32.png) [@Nuke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nuke)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2003, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prince-william-commemorative-coin/183143/11 "2003-06-20T15:00:24Z")
Oops, missed the pounds instead of dollars. :smack: That definitely makes it an overpriced ugly coin. Side portraits always look better on coins. ---
**Author:** ![Intaglio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/71e660/32.png) [@Intaglio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Intaglio)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2003, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prince-william-commemorative-coin/183143/12 "2003-06-20T15:10:30Z")
I clicked on that link - and have Questions? Since when is Prince William from Wales? - he’s not the Prince of Wales yet, is he? Is Prince Charles still the Prince of Wales? What is his Royal Title(s)? - besides the future King of England and the Common-Wealth of the United Kingdom. ---
**Author:** ![One\_And\_Only\_Wanderers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/838e76/32.png) [@One\_And\_Only\_Wanderers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/One_And_Only_Wanderers)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2003, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prince-william-commemorative-coin/183143/13 "2003-06-20T15:16:17Z")
I know that Wales is the surname he used when enrolling at University at St. Andrews… ---
**Author:** ![Doomtrain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/0ea827/32.png) [@Doomtrain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doomtrain)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2003, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prince-william-commemorative-coin/183143/14 "2003-06-20T15:20:50Z")
That open collar makes him look like some kind of 70s gigalo… ---
**Author:** ![Raygun99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Raygun99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raygun99)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2003, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prince-william-commemorative-coin/183143/15 "2003-06-20T16:02:23Z")
This is the sort of thing artisans were beheaded for in the Middle Ages. He looks like an Austin Powers villain on that thing. ---
**Author:** ![Intaglio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/71e660/32.png) [@Intaglio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Intaglio)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2003, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prince-william-commemorative-coin/183143/16 "2003-06-20T16:11:31Z")
Isn’t his surname Windsor-Montbatten? ---
**Author:** ![cuauhtemoc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ecb155/32.png) [@cuauhtemoc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cuauhtemoc)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2003, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prince-william-commemorative-coin/183143/17 "2003-06-20T16:12:17Z")
Perfect caption: _“Hurrr…!”_ ---
**Author:** ![macabresoul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e68b1a/32.png) [@macabresoul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/macabresoul)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2003, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prince-william-commemorative-coin/183143/18 "2003-06-20T16:22:02Z")
What the hell, I thought you had to be dead to get commemorated! ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2003, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prince-william-commemorative-coin/183143/19 "2003-06-20T17:25:48Z")
Tell me that’s not an actual photograph of the coin. Please tell me that! I can forgive it if it’s just a (bad) artist’s rendering, but if it’s an actual photo… The thing’s about as far on the negative side of the looks line as Wills himself is on the positive. ---
**Author:** ![Reuben](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/54ee81/32.png) [@Reuben](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reuben)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2003, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prince-william-commemorative-coin/183143/20 "2003-06-20T17:37:38Z")
I used to work in a Knightsbridge shop (not Harrods) and remember one day when Princess Diana (as she then was) came in to buy a few gifts. All by herself, too. Serving an icon of the age in an empty shop on a rainy afternoon was one of those things you don’t forget, and I distinctly remember that when she signed her credit-card slip she signed it just “Wales”. IIRC lesser lights of the aristocracy would do the same thing, ie Lord Muck was just “Muck”. So at a guess it’s probably kosher for descendants of the Prince of Wales to add “Of Wales” to their title, and it may even be the more correct form. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prince-william-commemorative-coin/183143.md?page=2)