Posts by Change Checker
The Snowman™ is back! Brand new UK 50p JUST released!
It’s a magical day indeed as this morning, The Snowman™ has made a return to the UK’s favourite coin, the 50p!
This brand new 50p has been issued to continue the celebrations of the 40th anniversary of the much-loved festive tale, The Snowman™!
In this latest release we see James and the Snowman embracing in a scene that is sure to warm your hearts this festive season!
Designed by Robin Shaw, this brand new 50p brings our favourite Christmas character to life exactly how we remember him from the famous tale.
With such a special issue, this coin is available in superior Brilliant Uncirculated quality from JUST £4.50 (+p&p)
But this isn’t the first time we’ve seen The Snowman™ feature on a 50p! Previous Snowman 50p coins from The Royal Mint have proved incredibly popular with collectors and have even seen sell outs within just hours of release!
So, grab yourself a blanket and a mug of hot chocolate and cosy up, as we take a look at the history of The Snowman™ on coins…
2019 UK Snowman 50p
In 2019, The Snowman™ made his second UK 50p appearance, featuring alongside his friend James, set against the snowy mountains they famously fly over in the tale.
At the time of its release, it was the second Christmas 50p to be ever be released in the UK, with previous festive releases being dedicated to the £5 coin.
This coin is still available to order in Brilliant Uncirculated quality for JUST £4.50 but we have STRICTLY LIMITED STOCK remaining, so act fast.
2018 UK Snowman 50p
Celebrating the 40th anniversary of the Christmas classic, Natasha Ratcliffe’s design features The Snowman and James ‘walking in the air’…
Issued as the very first UK Christmas 50p and very first UK Snowman issue, this coin was destined to be popular amongst collectors!
In fact, it was so popular that the Silver Proof version completely SOLD OUT on the first day of issue!
Whilst the 2018 release marked the first time that The Snowman™ has appeared on a UK coin, it’s actually not the first time that this frosty friend has appeared on a 50p…
Isle of Man Snowman 50ps
Over the years, The Snowman has featured on a number of different 50ps from The Isle of Man, some of which are incredibly sought after.
One such coin from 2003 featuring James and The Snowman™ recently sold for over £250 on the secondary market – not a bad return on a 50p coin!
Isle of Man coinage is particularly sought-after by collectors as mintages are significantly lower than in the UK, due to a population of around 85,000.
As these coins are very similar in appearance and specification to UK coins, they can sometimes find their way over here when people return from holidaying on the island.
Have you found an Isle of Man Snowman 50p on your travels or perhaps one has mistakenly made its way into your change! Let us know in the comments below!
It seems as though this frosty friend is a festive favourite amongst collectors but we want to know which Snowman 50p is your favourite!
Let us know in the comments below!
Gift The Snowman™ 50p this Christmas for JUST £4.50 (+p&p)
This coin really is the perfect festive treat for a loved one or even as a gift to yourself.
To secure the 2020 UK The Snowman™ 50p for just £4.50 (+p&p), click here >>
There’s nothing ‘Bah, Humbug’ about these brand new Isle of Man ‘A Christmas Carol’ £2 coins!
A Christmas Carol, published in 1843, is arguably one of Charles Dickens’ most famous novels – teaching us to keep the spirit of Christmas and kindness in our hearts all year round.
And, in this 150th year since the passing of the greatest novelist of the Victorian Era, Charles Dickens has been celebrated with the release of three enchanting £2 coins, each inspired by his timeless festive tale, including:
- Scrooge and the Ghost of Christmas Present
- Scrooge and the Ghost of Christmas Past and Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come
- Scrooge with Tiny Tim as a representation of his redemption
The 2020 Isle of Man ‘A Christmas Carol’ £2 Set is a truly unique festive addition to any collection this Christmas season, or could even make the perfect Christmas gift or stocking filler for a friend or relative!
We only have a limited stock available for Change Checkers, so don’t miss out on your chance to own this BRAND NEW 2020 ‘A Christmas Carol’ £2 Set for JUST £25.00 (+p&p) by clicking here >>
Following in the popularity of previous Isle of Man Christmas coins, this set is sure to be in high demand amongst collectors.
JUST 3,000 of each design will be entering circulation on the Isle of Man, so these coins will be particularly hard to come by, as i’m sure collectors on the island will be quick to snap them up!
Let’s a take a look at some other festive issues we’ve seen from the Isle of Man…
2019 Santa £2
Traditionally, the Isle of Man release Christmas themed 50ps most years, however last year, this incredibly popular Santa £2 coin was released
This magical design features an enchanting portrait of Old St. Nick and bears the inscription ‘Nollick Ghennal’ which is Manx for ‘Merry Christmas’.
At the top of the coin, the distinctive Isle of Man Triskelion (three armoured legs) can be seen.
2003 Snowman 50p
2003 marked the very first time The Snowman featured on circulating coinage.
The Isle of Man released a limited-edition coin to mark the 25th anniversary of the release of the ‘The Snowman’ by Raymond Briggs.
Only 10,000 of these coins were ever minted, which makes it incredibly sought-after. In fact, this coin sells for well over face value on the secondary market, often fetching more than £200!
Since 2003, the Snowman has featured on a number of Isle of Man Christmas coins, and has even made two appearances on UK coins, which have been incredibly popular with collectors!
2018 Hunt the Wren £2
On boxing day on the Isle of Man, communities come together across the island to dance and sing in the streets around “the king of all birds” who is paraded around on a pole.
Hunt the Wren, as it is known on the island has become one of the most popular yet more unusual Manx traditions in practice today.
The practice dates back to Pagan times and is centred on the wren bird, which is hunted and then danced through the streets on a special pole.
This £2 coin was issued in 2018 by The Isle of Man to celebrate the Manx tradition.
2013 Christmas Wreath and Stocking 50p
This festive 50p was issued in 2013 on the Isle of Man and features a traditional Christmas wreath and stocking.
It is estimated that only 30,000 of these coins entered circulation on the Isle of Man, making them particularly sought-after. Due to the island having a population of less than 85,000, mintages tend to be much lower than we see in the UK.
Let us know in the comments below what you think of these brand new A Christmas Carol £2 coins!
Will you be bringing them home this Christmas?
Secure this set of three ‘A Christmas Carol’ £2 coins to your collection today!
These coins truly are a wonderful addition to any collection and can even make the perfect gift for a loved one!
Secure yours today for JUST £25.00 (+p&p) by clicking here >>
Gibraltar Celebrates Christmas with two BRAND NEW coins
Sleigh bells ring, are you listening? Because a brand new Gibraltar 50p and £2 coin have just been released featuring none other than Father Christmas himself!
These very festive coins have been released by the Government of Gibraltar, making them particularly sought-after by collectors given the low mintage figures typical from the country!
You can secure this magical Christmas coin pair (the very best way to own these coins!) here for just £13.50 (+p&p).
Or, you can secure the single 50p to your collection for JUST £4.50 (+p&p) by clicking here.
Your brand new Gibraltar Christmas 50p & £2 Pair will come in Official Change Checker Packaging, ready to slot into your Change Checker Album!
With previous Gibraltar issues proving immensely popular with collectors, I expect these coins will be snapped up quickly by collectors (especially as we have just a small allocation for Change Checkers!)
A history of popular coins
Gibraltar has released some truly beautiful coins in recent years, and as their mintage figures are typically much lower than UK coins, they are often highly sought-after by collectors…
Coins from Crown dependencies, such as Gibraltar and overseas British territories can sometimes make an unexpected appearance in our change.
They are identical in size, shape and weight to UK denominations which means they often find their way into tills and vending machines undetected.
Whilst these coins aren’t technically legal tender in the UK, finding new and interesting designs is always a bonus!
So, whilst it may be tricky to find one in your change, Change Checker has listed our Top 10 Coins from Gibraltar that are worth trying to hunt down!
2019 Breast Cancer £2
Last year the Government of Gibraltar issued a new £2 coin in partnership with Breast Cancer Support Gibraltar.
However, only a limited number were released into circulation on the Isle of Gibraltar, making it one of the most popular coins of the year, but also one of the most difficult to source.
But not many collectors were aware of the secret this coin was hiding…
The Gibraltar Breast Cancer £2 features a special portrait of Queen Elizabeth II on the obverse. It was originally drawn by Raphael Maklouf for the Gibraltar 90th Birthday £5 coin issue but has also been used on a small selection of Gibraltar coinage.
This portrait is currently not in use by any other country in the world, making any Gibraltar coin with this portrait on extremely collectable!
A limited number of coins were available at The Westminster Collection, and they sold out within hours! Collectors were quick to search on the secondary market to find them and some prices reached over £40!
Gibraltar Candytuft Flowers 50p
This 50p features the denomination surrounded by a crown of Gibraltar Candytuft flowers, known as ‘Iberis Gibraltarica’.
Iberis Gibraltarica is the national flower of Gibraltar and is the symbol of the Upper Rock Nature Reserve which covers 40% of the country’s land area. Gibraltar is the only place in Europe where it is found growing in the wild!
In 1988, JUST 30,000 of these 50ps were issued for circulation, making it 7 times rarer than the UK’s rarest 50p and particularly scarce and sought after amongst collectors. Another key feature which makes this coin so collectable is that it was issued in the pre-1997 specifications, meaning it’s significantly larger than the current 50ps we find in our change!
Rock of Gibraltar £1
This £1 coin was issued for the 1995 National Day and for the 50th Anniversary of the UN.
National Day is celebrated annually on September 10th and is the official national day of Gibraltar.
The reverse features the iconic Rock of Gibraltar with birds and sun rays above, and the obverse features the Raphael David Maklouf engraving of Queen Elizabeth II.
This £1 is in the older round pound specifications, meaning they won’t appear in your UK change as the round pound lost its legal tender status in the UK in 2016, after the introduction of the 12-sided £1. This means it’s even harder to get your hands on this coin!
Neanderthal Skull £1
This £1 coin from Gibraltar was issued to celebrate the discovery of a Neanderthal skull in a quarry near the Rock of Gibraltar in 1848.
The Neanderthals in Gibraltar were some of the very first to ever be found and this particular skull is one of the oldest specimens known.
Designed by Philip Nathan, the reverse features the Neanderthal skull and lettering, “Discovery of Neanderthal skull in Gibraltar 1848”. The obverse was designed by Raphael Maklouf and features the crowned bust of Queen Elizabeth I.
Capture of Gibraltar 50p
This 50p was issued in Gibraltar in 2005 to commemorate the Capture of Gibraltar in 1704, during the war of the Spanish Succession.
As part of the Allied strategy, Sir George Rooke had been sent with an Anglo-Dutch force into the Mediterranean to attack the French in Toulon. However, when his objectives proved impracticable, Rooke decided to justify his command by attacking Gibraltar.
The coin features a design on the reverse of ancient ships at sea with the Rock of Gibraltar in the background, paying tribute to the Anglo-Dutch fleet that sailed into Gibraltar. The obverse features the third portrait of Her Majesty by Royal Mint engraver Raphael D. Maklouf.
So will Santa be visiting you this Christmas in the form of the Gibraltar 50p and £2 pair? Comment below!
Don’t miss your opportunity of owning this magical Christmas coin pair!
Due to the limited circulating mintages of these coins, we have just a small allocation for Change Checkers, so don’t miss the opportunity to secure yours this Christmas!
Secure the 2020 Gibraltar Christmas £2 and 50p pair today for JUST £13.50 (+p&p) by clicking here >>