MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Baroness Thatcher visits Pobjoy Mint

Baroness Thatcher and John Smith

On Thursday 31st May 2007, Baroness Thatcher LG OM PC FRS visited Pobjoy Mint in Kingswood, Surrey to launch the first coin in the series produced to mark the 25th Anniversary of the Liberation of the Falkland Islands

It was most fitting that the first woman Prime Minister who led Britain to victory during the 1982 Falklands War struck the very first Liberation coin and during her visit Baroness Thatcher stated "It is a great honour to have been invited to Pobjoy Mint to strike this very special coin which commemorates such a remarkable event."Baroness Thatcher was joined by Sir Rex Hunt CMG, Governor of the Falkland Islands at the time of the invasion, and the coin they struck portrays a triumphant Britannia â€" the figure of national personification of the United Kingdom â€" who stands draped in the Union Flag in the centre of the coin and holding a shield containing the Falkland Islands Coat of Arms. In addition, John Smith, General Manager of Pobjoy Mint presented framed collections of Ascension Island and Falkland Islands 25th Anniversary of Liberation stamps to both Baroness Thatcher and Sir Rex Hunt as special mementos of their visit. Pobjoy Mint acts as the worldwide sales agents of the Post Offices of these two Countries as well as South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands with effect from 1st June 2007.