Mad About Rock

  July 8th 2025: The Royal Mint has today unveiled an eye-catching commemorative coin celebrating 50 years of Iron Maiden. The East London icons are joining the ranks of musical royalty in The Royal Mint's Music Legends series, which has previously celebrated the likes of Queen, Elton John, and David Bowie. Crafted with meticulous attention to detail by contemporary Iron Maiden artist Albert 'Akirant' Quirantes, the design features the band's infamous mascot Eddie in a dynamic pose that will strike a chord with fans worldwide. The design features numerous hidden 'Easter eggs' referencing the band's illustrious career, albums and world tours - giving collectors plenty to hunt for. Iron Maiden, who formed in 1975, worked closely with The Royal Mint throughout the design process, ensuring the coin captures the essence of a band whose influence has spanned five decades and counting. With a global footprint that spans the planet, Iron Maiden are one of the bigg...

  Today Download Festival and The Heavy Metal Truants launch The Download 20 Auction to coincide with Download Festival’s 20th Anniversary. This historic auction includes rare memorabilia which will be auctioned off to support four children’s charities through the Truants Foundation. The online auction, which also includes a raffle component for select bundles, is located at https://auction.heavymetaltruants.com and will go live from 10AM and remain online for one week. Entries will close on Thursday 6th July 2023 at 23:59 UK time. Winners will be announced for each item the following week, with proceeds going to the Heavy Metal Truants chosen charities: Teenage Cancer Trust, Nordoff & Robbins Music Therapy, Childline, and Save The Children. “If you’re after hand-written lyrics or a guitar that’s responsible for some of the greatest songs of our age, then this auction is for you!” says HMT co-founder Alexander Milas. “The incredible generosity the rock and metal community has ...