George Michael coin unveiled by the Royal Mint

The Royal Mint has unveiled a new collectable coin featuring the late pop star George Michael.

Michael, who grew up in Hertfordshire, formed Wham! with fellow Bushey Meads School pupil Andrew Ridgeley.

The collectable features a headshot of Michael wearing his trademark sunglasses and an engraving of the refrain from his song Faith.

The colours black and red feature on part of the coin, as they were used prominently throughout his career.

George Michael Entertainment said it was "deeply honoured" by the tribute from the Royal Mint, Llantrisant, Rhondda Cynon Taf.

It added that the singer would have been "enormously proud and genuinely touched that a national institution should have decided to pay tribute to his memory in this way".

In December, the band's song Last Christmas reached number one in the UK singles chart, 39 years after it was first released.

Sandra Deiana, the coin's designer, explained she wanted "a detailed portrait that captured his charismatic expression. I was particularly thinking of his iconic sunglasses".

The coin will be the latest addition to the Royal Mint's Music Legends series, which has featured artists such as David Bowie, Elton John and Queen.

Michael spent his early years in Edgware, London, before he moved with his family to Radlett, Hertfordshire, in the 1970s.

He was living in Goring, Oxfordshire, when he died, in 2016.

The singer-songwriter has a blue plaque in his honour at Bushey Meads School.

Steve Stunt, of the George Michael Appreciation Society of Bushey, said he had requested a collectable coin of the singer from the Royal Mint several times over the last few years.

He said: "I think it's fantastic, something memorable for us all to keep, and the recognition from Royal Mint is awesome."

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