His picture hung on my brother’s bedroom wall for years. But, now, in addition to being associated with Jamaica’s national colors–green, yellow and black—Bob Marley is being immortalized in gold and silver. The Bank of Jamaica is releasing commemorative coins with the late reggae superstar’s deadlocked likeness.
According to a bank spokesperson 1,000 coins, produced by the British Royal Mint, are being sold for $100 each. However, officials say since the coins have been met with such overwhelmingly popularity, they don’t anticipate they will be on the market for very long.
Ironically, the coin sale comes more than a year after its original scheduled sale date. Initially, the commemorative coins were intended to mark the 60th anniversary of Marley’s birth, which was celebrated in 2005, but for reasons bank officials refuse to reveal, the financial institution is just now offering them for sale.
This is not the first time the Bank of Jamaica has issued coins bearing Marley’s likeness. More than a decade ago the bank sold coins to commemorate Marley’s 50th birthday. Bank officials say those sold out in a matter of weeks.
Coin buyers say the gold and silver pieces that bear Marley’s likeness are a fitting tribute to one of Jamaica’s most beloved national heroes. Marley was born in Jamaica’s rural St. Ann parish and rose from the shantytowns of Kingston to musical stardom with hits such as “No Woman No Cry” and “I Shot the Sheriff.” Sadly, Marley who promoted the ideas of “one love” that helped spark a social revolution died of cancer in Miami at age 36 in 1981.
If you are interested in buying your own Bob Marley commemorative coins they can be purchased directly from the Bank of Jamaica’s banking department or I saw a few of them being auctioned on eBay.