This morning I saw an advert on TV for possibly the most beautiful work of art ever created by man -
The Royal Engagement Gold Plated Photographic Coin, showing that technology has leapt forwards since 1977 when I was given my free Silver Jubilee Crown, made out of plain metal with no photo attached. Nowadays, for just £39.99 + p&p you can get a gold (plated) coin with an actual picture of Wills and Kate on it, plus a photo of the doomed ring of Princess Diana as well. Not enough artists have thought of melding the world of coins and photography, but the anonymous artist who has created this artifact did not let that hold him or her back. Sticking a photo on is so much more realistic than bothering to create a carved representation. It's a shame that the other side is old fashioned and has a grumpy etching of the Queen, rather than a photo of her smiling and giving the thumbs up. But you can't have everything. And I am sure that an artist of this standing has made that decision deliberately, in order to juxtapose the old way of doing things with the new. That is probably why the queen looks so grumpy - stuck in the past where monarchs were just sideways looking caricatures.
I was so impressed with the coin that I actually decided to throw away all my rubbish old non-photographic coins and in fact any of my possessions which did not have a photograph of Wills and Kate on them. They seem worthless now in this bold and beautiful new future.
I noticed with terror that there were only 49,500 of these treasures made and wanted to get straight in there and buy at least 500 for myself before the masses snapped them up, but cruelly, knowing how popular these will be, the coins are limited to just three per household. Rod Begbie on Twitter pointed out that I am going to have to buy another hundred and 160 houses so I can own as many of these coins as I want. It will be expensive, but it's an investment for the future. These coins can only gain in value. And it will be all the people who didn't use up their life savings and more to snap them up who will be made to look stupid.
I don't even mind that the coins are from the Cook Islands and only worth a dollar (about 46p apparently) if you take them there to use in the shops. Where else can you get a coin with a photo on it? Only from the good people at the Westminster Collection. And the fact that the collection comes from Westminster proves the pedigree of the company.
I am already very excited about the wedding and what other wonderful and tasteful souvenirs will become available. We can only dream for now.
I had an important meeting at the BBC this morning and dressed up in my suit and slidy posh shoes so that I would impress the executive I was talking to. Unfortunately I was running a bit late and so rushing around a bit. I headed downstairs, whilst emailing Andrew Collings on my phone and slipped on the wooden stairs and gravity did its utmost to bring me crashing down to the bottom of the flight with a big bang. I am 43 now and approaching the age where a fall can take out a hip and I lay inert for a couple of seconds whilst I tried to ascertain the damage. I was still able to walk but had hurt both my elbows and my pride. Luckily apart from that I was OK, but it came very close to scuppering my day and possibly my career.
As it was I made it to TV Centre a little sore and bruised and only a touch late and had a very positive meeting indeed. I have done enough of these things to know that usually nothing happens or you are given false hope and then a few months later let down about as gently as I had been let down the stairs just minutes earlier. But without wanting to jinx anything things went very well and some definite progress has been made. And I have a good feeling about this one, so fingers crossed. If I've already had my fall then I can perhaps afford to have some pride, but I now have a definite project to work on whilst I am on tour. Cautiously optimistic and excited about it.
