‘SYDNEY: Australia’s royal mint has defended a widely-lampooned image of the late Queen Elizabeth II on new commemorative coins celebrating her life.
The “stunning heavenly” 50 cent and $5 Australian coins were revealed by the mint this week, featuring a front-facing effigy of the queen to celebrate her reign, 100 years after her birth.
But the royal’s image, which the Royal Australian Mint described on Thursday as a “stunning portrait” rendered with “warmth and dignity,” evoked widespread online mirth.
“No, stop don’t release it, melt them all and get at proper portrait of The Queen not a screen shot of Mrs. Doubtfire,” said one user in reply to the mint’s monetary revelation on Facebook, comparing the portrait to the character played by Robin Williams in the 1993 film.
“There’s a reason most portraits are from the side. Looks like she just ran into a wall,” said another.
Queen Elizabeth, who died in 2022, reigned for more than 70 years and had strong ties with Australia which has the British monarch as its head of state.
The Australian mint posted an explanation of the coins’ details, including motifs celebrating the late monarch’s love of horses and corgi dogs.
“Our coin images don’t always capture the full beauty of a design once it’s etched in metal,” it conceded.
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As it hit the pitch, Catan leapt into action and started performing rudimentary CPR, pumping the bird’s ribcage.
“When I started the chest compressions, it began moving its legs. The more it moved, the more I kept going,” he said.
When it started breathing, he carried it off the pitch to medical staff, who took care of it.
By that evening, videos had gone viral on social media and Catan said his phone began ringing nonstop.
“We’d lost the match, so I wasn’t in a good mood. Then overnight the messages started coming in. We were shocked by how fast it spread,” he said.
“It’s been in the press in Brazil, Italy, America...”
Since the Istanbul match, Catan has received animal rights organization PETA’s “Hero to Animals award.”
Originally from the northern Turkish city of Tokat where he lives with his two cats, Catan had dreamed of playing football since childhood.
The story ended sadly, however, as the bird later died, according to a commentator who witnessed the incident.
Yurdum Spor is considering adding a seagull to its logo in tribute.
‘Mrs Doubtfire’: Queen’s image on new Australian coins ridiculed
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‘Mrs Doubtfire’: Queen’s image on new Australian coins ridiculed
- The ‘stunning heavenly’ 50 cent and $5 Australian coins were revealed by the mint this week
- The Australian mint posted an explanation of the coins’ details
Turkish footballer hailed as hero after saving stunned seagull
- Gani Catan, captain of amateur club Yurdum Spor, raced across the pitch Sunday after a ball knocked the low-flying bird to the ground
- “I acted on instinct, or maybe I once saw someone do this on a dog or a cat,” he said
ISTANBUL: A Turkish amateur footballer has gone viral for saving a seagull’s life with CPR after it was struck down during an Istanbul match.
Gani Catan, a 32-year-old accountant and captain of amateur club Yurdum Spor, raced across the pitch Sunday after a ball knocked the low-flying bird to the ground.
“I acted on instinct, or maybe I once saw someone do this on a dog or a cat,” he told AFP a few days later as he watched the club’s youth teams train.
As it hit the pitch, Catan leapt into action and started performing rudimentary CPR, pumping the bird’s ribcage.
“When I started the chest compressions, it began moving its legs. The more it moved, the more I kept going,” he said.
When it started breathing, he carried it off the pitch to medical staff, who took care of it.
By that evening, videos had gone viral on social media and Catan said his phone began ringing nonstop.
“We’d lost the match, so I wasn’t in a good mood. Then overnight the messages started coming in. We were shocked by how fast it spread,” he said.
“It’s been in the press in Brazil, Italy, America...”
Since the Istanbul match, Catan has received animal rights organization PETA’s “Hero to Animals award.”
Originally from the northern Turkish city of Tokat where he lives with his two cats, Catan had dreamed of playing football since childhood.
The story ended sadly, however, as the bird later died, according to a commentator who witnessed the incident.
Yurdum Spor is considering adding a seagull to its logo in tribute.
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