Big Coin is Watching You
From dystopian fiction to numismatic tribute: A new commemorative coin series honors George Orwell, the visionary author behind 1984 and Animal Farm, reminding collectors that Big Brother—and Big Coin—is always watching
Since its first appearance in the 1949 dystopian novel 1984, the phrase “Big Brother is Watching You” has served as a reminder that a government or entity can take a person’s privacy. Although this statement is usually a warning, the Royal Mint repurposes this iconic phrase for a more celebratory cause: a new series release that honors the life and work of the book’s author, George Orwell.
The series, “George Orwell: A Visionary Writer,” features a £2 commemorative coin in brilliant uncirculated, gold-proof, and silver-proof editions. The coin’s release coincides with the 75th anniversary of Orwell’s death and was created in partnership with the Orwell Foundation. Every edition includes a design by coin artist Henry Gray that appears like an eye at first. However, upon closer inspection, it is actually a camera lens. Surrounding the image overhead is the famous phrase, “Big Brother is Watching You,” and at the coin’s bottom edge reads another well-known line from the book, “There Was Truth, and There Was Untruth.”
“With phones and cameras being everywhere in your house, and being listened to by advertisers on your phone, you are really aware of how you’re being surveyed – and that’s what 1984 is all about,” explains Gray on the Mint’s website. “It’s about living in a culture where everything is looked at and you are constantly under pressure to conform. That’s why the eye [in the design] isn’t a realistic eye...”
The gold proof and piedfort editions are packaged in a commemorative box, while the brilliant uncirculated is sold in a blood red and black folio featuring text on the author’s life and legacy. The silver proof comes in a graphically pattern acrylic block that appears like Big Brother’s mind control tool.
Whether this coin will be a hit with numismatic and literary collectors alike, NumisMaster Market Analyst Jeff Starck advises waiting and seeing. “The new year and new coin issue brings with it some higher prices, which may have slowed some of the base metal and silver sales – the gold version, however, quickly sold out…Like the design on the coin indicates, we’ll be watching closely to see where things shake out.”
Those interested in the series can find more information on the Royal Mint’s website.
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