Rosalind Franklin's legacy celebrated with commemorative 50p coin

The Royal Mint in collaboration with King’s has recently launched a commemorative 50p coin celebrating what would have been Rosalind Franklin’s 100th birthday.

Image of the Royal Mint's Rosalind Franklin 100th anniversary coin reverse (Brilliance)

Best known for her research into DNA which she undertook while at King’s, Rosalind was a world authority on the three-dimensional structure of viruses, as well as coal and graphite.

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Born in London on 25 July 1920, Rosalind Franklin attended and excelled at St Paul’s Girls’ School and was determined to become a scientist. In 1938, she fulfilled her childhood ambition, taking up a place at Newnham College, Cambridge, to study Natural Sciences, specialising in Chemistry.

In 1947 Rosalind started a new job at the Laboratoire Central des Services Chimiques de L'État in Paris. Continuing her research into coal and graphite, she became an expert in X-ray crystallography. A few years later, she joined the Medical Research Council Biophysics Research Unit at King’s College London, applying these techniques to DNA. It was in May 1952 that Rosalind and Raymond Gosling successfully produced Photograph 51 by shining an X-ray beam for more than 60 hours at right angles onto a sample of DNA fibres; from this image a three-dimensional model of DNA could be determined.

Rosalind Franklin’s brilliant mind and tireless dedication enabled breakthroughs in multiple fields. Tragically she passed away from ovarian cancer aged just 37, denying her the awards and recognition that would surely have come during her lifetime.

The coin has been designed by Royal Mint graphic designer David Knapton. Inspired by the historical injustice of the failure to credit Rosalind Franklin’s role in determining the structure of DNA, David uses the printing techniques of the era to restore her rightful legacy. By including her name in the design along with Photograph 51, the ground breaking image she captured of the building blocks of life, David places Franklin at the heart of the DNA story.

Clare Maclennan, Divisional Director of Commemorative Coin at The Royal Mint said:

“We are delighted to be continuing our ‘Innovation in Science’ series with a second coin celebrating what would have been Rosalind Franklin’s 100th birthday."

This commemorative 50p coin is truly a fitting tribute to a scientist who was instrumental in enabling one of the greatest discoveries of the twentieth century.

The coin is available in limited-edition Gold Proof, Silver Proof and Silver Proof Piedfort, as well as a Brilliant Uncirculated edition.