AFTER 500 years of protecting sailors and shipping, Trinity House has been immortalised by being chosen to appear on a coin produced by The Royal Mint.

The company which is in charge of deep sea pilotage and works to maintain the safety of mariners will appear on the reverse of a two pound coin that will come into circulation this year.

Trinity House, which has an office on Harwich Quay, was granted a Royal Charter by King Henry VIII in 1514 and the new coin designed by Joe Whitlock-Blundell and David Eccles contains an iconic lighthouse lens and an engraving marking their 500th anniversary as well as the portrait of Queen Elizabeth II.

Graham Hockley, Trinity House spokesman said: “It is a brilliant honour and we are thrilled about it.

“It was first mentioned around 18 months ago as a possibility but it was only in the Autumn of last year that it was confirmed.

“There were half a dozen designs to start with, all of which were brilliant, but they had to be narrowed down and approved by her majesty.

“The Queen still has the final say on which coin and stamp designs go into production.”

Other designs that will be in wallets and pockets across Britain are a 50 pence piece to commemorate this year’s Commonwealth Games in Glasgow and a tribute to the 100th anniversary of the start of World War One.