British babies born the same day as the eagerly awaited royal baby of Prince William and Duchess Kate will get their own royal gift in the form of a lucky silver penny
The Royal Mint announced yesterday that it has minted 2,013 silver coins bearing a shield of the Royal Arms, to be given to newborns who share their birthday with the new third-in-line to the British throne, due any day now.
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Crossing the palm of a newborn baby with silver or offering a silver penny is traditionally seen as a wish for good fortune and health.
Shane Bissett, director of commemorative coins at the Royal Mint, said the mint wanted to share the royal milestone with ‘mothers and fathers across the country’.
Each coin is worth £28
(Rs 2,356) but parents can obtain one free by registering their child’s birth on the Royal Mint’s Facebook site. Kate is due to give birth in mid-July, or maybe sooner.
The anticipation has reached feverish level in Britain, as the souvenir industry goes into overdrive and the world media gather in a forest of camera stands
outside St Mary’s Hospital in London. u00a0