First £20 coin issued by Royal Mint

The first ever £20 coin has been created.

The Benedetto Pistrucci-designed silver coin will carry the classic design of St George and the Dragon, normally associated with the gold sovereign and recently used to commemorate the birth of Prince George on a silver £5 crown.

It is the first time the Royal Mint has produced a £20 coin, and only 250,000 have been made.

Following the popularity of the £5 coin, which sold out in just five days, the new £20 coin is expected to sell out quickly to UK residents only via the Royal Mint website.

Shane Bissett, director of commemorative coins at the Royal Mint, said: "The Royal Mint has celebrated moments of national and cultural significance for over 1,000 years and, as a result, our commemorative coins are deemed very collectible.

"It is a beautiful work of art and at a price more people can afford.

"We hope this new £20 coin will spark a future love of coin collecting amongst young and old alike and a greater number of people get to appreciate the craftsmanship that goes into producing all of our nation's coins."

The Pistrucci-designed coin will be the first in a series of £20 denomination coins which will be issued periodically by the Royal Mint to celebrate significant events and figures from British culture in the coming years.