A Knight's tale

Dave Knight, Royal Mint's Director of Commemorative Coin, says the new medals will attract significant interest

While Andrew Strauss is hoping to get his hands on the famous urn this summer, you too could grab something special during the npower Ashes Series 2009.

ECB and Royal Mint have teamed up to produce a limited edition npower Ashes Series medal to commemorate the much-anticipated series with Australia.

There will be 150 Commemorative Gold Medals, the first five of which will be used for the toss at the five Tests this summer. Each will be engraved with the details of the Test at which they were used and then auctioned for charity.

The remaining 145 medals, all 22 carat gold and featuring the Ashes event logo on one side and a batsman on the other, will be signed by the England captain and made available to cricket fans who want a lasting memento of this summer.

"The thing about the Ashes is that it is all-consuming," said Dave Knight, Royal Mint's Director of Commemorative Coin.

"It captures the public's imagination. Even people who don't like cricket get into the Ashes.

"The Ashes is the pinnacle. Most people like Twenty20 or 50-over cricket, but the Ashes is special. It's like England v Germany in football. There is such history behind England v Australia.

"There is going to be considerable interest in the medals. Some will end up with people who are besotted with cricket.

"The Royal Mint and cricket are both very British. The Royal Mint is a national treasure and so is cricket. There is a natural link."

As well as the 150 gold medals, which cost £1,595, there will be 50,000 limited edition nickel-brass versions which are priced £9.95.

"We have worked with the ECB for the last four years, going back to 2005, making the winners' medals and that sort of thing," added Knight.

"We loved doing it, it is extremely prestigious, but as great fans of the Ashes ourselves we wanted to give fans something to remember this year's series by.

"The medal has been specially designed by one of our chief designers. He went down to Glamorgan and worked with one of the team there.

"He watched the player hit balls and really tried to get under his skin. He wanted to get a feeling of what it is like to be a cricketer, like the facial expressions. It is better seeing something live than just looking at a picture.

The new limited edition medals feature the Ashes emblem on one side and an inscription of a batsman on the other

"On one side of the medal is the Ashes emblem and the other side is a batsman. When you think of cricket, you think of batting.

"The link between the Royal Mint and ECB is great. We have worked well together and hope to do more in the future."

A keen cricketer himself, Knight is thrilled to have a link with this summer's main event.

"I love cricket," he said. "I am a wicketkeeper for a village team in Somerset. I love watching cricket too and I go to Taunton when I can.

"My first cricketing memory is playing on the beach, picking up a little bat. I did not go to my first match until I saw Sussex play West Indies at Hove. I got more into watching cricket when I moved to Somerset."

Like millions of cricket fans around the country, Knight will be glued to the TV this summer hoping England can reclaim the urn they last won amid wonderful scenes in 2005.

"I think this series will be close," he predicted. "The 2005 Ashes was incredible. I remember where I was for all the key moments in that series, like when we won by two runs at Edgbaston.

"There is something different about Ashes Tests. It's not just about hitting the ball around, it's the pressure, it is will versus skill. Can you catch that vital catch when there are millions watching on TV at home?

"I'm looking forward to it."

As an exclusive offer to TwelfthMan members - you can buy your medal for £9.95 and get free P&P (normally £1.95) to all UK addresses. Click on the Royal Mail website below to order your medal and enter EY912M in the promotional code box.

For more details, log on to www.royalmint.com.