Trystan’s medal design wins £5,000 prize in Royal Mint competition

A graduate from the University of South Wales has been announced as the winner of the Royal Mint Museum’s medal design competition to commemorate the Platinum Jubilee of Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

Trystan Vaughan, who graduated from USW in Graphic Communication in 2021, has won a specimen of his medal struck in bronze as well as a £5,000 prize – seeing off competition from more than 120 other entries.

The competition for students and recent graduates was held in 2022 to celebrate Her Late Majesty’s 70-year reign, when entrants were asked to design a medal inspired by the changes that have occurred during that time.

Product Design Lead at the Royal Mint, Lee Jones, Director of the Royal Mint Museum, Dr Kevin Clancy and celebrated artist Hughie O’Donoghue selected Trystan’s design as the winner, which features portraits of Her Late Majesty on the front with a Tudor rose design on the back.

Trystan, who lives in Church Village, attended a presentation ceremony at the Royal Mint Museum in Llantrisant last month, where he received his medal specimen and cash prize. He said: “I’m thrilled to have won this opportunity to design a medal commemorating the Platinum Jubilee of Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. I really enjoyed the whole design process and to see the medal struck in bronze is fantastic.”

Dr Kevin Clancy added: “We are delighted to announce the winner of our medal design competition to commemorate this momentous occasion. Choosing the winning design was a difficult decision as there were many excellent submissions but the judging panel was unanimous in its decision that Trystan’s design met the brief in the most accomplished and appropriate way. We are delighted to be able to present the prizes to such a worthy winner.”