Concorde's last commercial flight was in October 2003, and this issue marks the fifth anniversary of that retirement. The coin appeared during a period when the Royal Mint was producing commemorative five-pound pieces at a pace that drew criticism from collectors — the program was seen by many as prioritizing volume over significance.
Air France and British Airways jointly grounded the fleet following the July 2000 crash near Paris, which killed all 109 on board and four on the ground. The economics never recovered.
Concorde's last commercial flight was in October 2003, and this issue marks the fifth anniversary of that retirement. The coin appeared during a period when the Royal Mint was producing commemorative five-pound pieces at a pace that drew criticism from collectors — the program was seen by many as prioritizing volume over significance.
Air France and British Airways jointly grounded the fleet following the July 2000 crash near Paris, which killed all 109 on board and four on the ground. The economics never recovered.