Posts by Change Checker
The Snowman 50p Coin – what we know so far…
The UK’s incredibly popular Paddington 50p coins are to be followed up by a brand new Snowman 50p coin.
According to the Royal Proclamation, published on 29 June, there will be a new coin:
– A depiction of the Snowman from the book The Snowman and the boy flying through the air.
It’s expected the coin will be issued later this year to celebrate 40 years of Raymond Brigg’s The Snowman, with commemorative collector’s editions available in Brilliant Uncirculated, Silver and Gold being made available.
Not the first time The Snowman has appeared on a coin
In fact it’s not the first time that The Snowman has appeared; he featured on few different 50p coins from the Isle of Man – now listed for as much £40 on eBay.
The next 50p collecting craze?
Although all the details have not been released yet and the actual designs are still top secret, it seems likely that the Snowman 50p coins will be as popular with the British public as Peter Rabbit and friends have proved over the last three years.
Stay up to date with all the latest Snowman news…
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McDonalds are striking their own currency…
As the largest restaurant franchise in the world, it was only a matter of time until McDonald’s pulled something extravagant out the bag.
It’s safe to say they didn’t disappoint with the release of their own global currency – the MacCoin!
To celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the Big Mac burger, McDonalds have created their OWN currency. But the question on our lips is “what are the coins worth?”
Well… the coins are only legal tender in McDonalds restaurants and can only be redeemed for a Big Mac burger.
We’re celebrating 50 years of Big Mac by creating a global currency—MacCoin—each one worth a free Big Mac around the ?, with 5 collectible designs for 5 legendary decades. Starting August 2, collect your own MacCoins when you buy a Big Mac while supplies last. #BigMac50 pic.twitter.com/xn8Z9GNLSp
— McDonald’s (@McDonalds) July 29, 2018
From 2nd August 2018, customers in the US will have the opportunity to collect FIVE different MacCoin designs, which can then be redeemed at over 14,000 restaurants across the US for a FREE Big Mac burger.
6.2 million coins will be released and are sure to be extremely sought-after by collectors and McDonalds enthusiasts from all over the world. In 2016, a McDonald’s division in the UK auctioned off a 740-milliliter bottle of sauce used in the burger for roughly $95,000 on eBay.
Sadly however, there are no plans for MacCoins to be available in the UK.
The inspiration for the coins originated from the Big Mac and the ‘Big Mac Index’, this is the annual report which uses Big Mac prices in countries around the world to see how currencies are valued.
With 1.3 billion (yes, billion!) Big Macs sold last year alone, the sale of Big Macs is expected to sky rocket even more, the perfect way to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the first Big Mac.
Image credit: McDonalds
The launch date also celebrates of the 100th birthday of Jim Delligatti, a McDonald’s franchisee in western Pennsylvania who invented the Big Mac.
The 5 different coin designs will each represent a different decade since the release of the burger in its full glory.
•The ‘70s: Showcasing the decade’s ‘flower power’ in all its glory
•The ‘80s: Alluding to pop art culture
•The ‘90s: Defined by bold, abstract shapes
•The early ‘00s: Specifically focusing on the development of technology at the forefront of the turn of the century
•The ‘10s: Focusing on the evolution of communication and globalisation in the modern world.
Let us know what you think about McDonalds MacCoins by leaving us a comment below.
If you’re interested in coin collecting, our Change Checker web app is completely free to use and allows users to:
– Find and identify the coins in their pocket
– Collect and track the coins they have
– Swap their spare coins with other Change Checkers
Sign up today at: www.changechecker.org/app
The Coin Series that Half of America Collected…
In 1999 the first 5 coins of a remarkable series made their way into the hands of the American public. Designed to give a boost to the nation’s interest in numismatics, these specially themed ‘State’ Quarter Dollars rapidly became the most popular collecting phenomenon in American history.
1999 State Quarters. Credit: usacoinbook.com
In 1993 a committee was formed to investigate ways to generate interest from younger collectors in the American numismatic market. Little did they know the ideas proposed in that very meeting would transcend all ages and interests and become the most widely collected series of coins in American history, and arguably, the world.
The key proposal was a collection of 50 new quarters – one for every state. 5 quarters were released a year over a ten year period, with the reverse designs representing the history and heritage of each state – a timeless reminder of the breadth and diversity of American culture. To make room for these intricate designs the familiar writing ‘Quarter Dollar’, ‘Liberty’ and ‘In God We Trust’ was moved onto the obverse.
The planning process to get such a momentous series of coins produced is estimated to have involved 3.5 million people, whether that was submitting design concepts or voting for their favourite.
The hard work resulted in a series of coins which are a true spectacle, each a miniature work of art. From the Wright Brothers Plane on the North Carolina coin, Mount Rushmore on the South Dakota coin, to Chimney Rock on the Nebraska coin, and the Grand Canyon on the Arizona coin, each design is a talking point and little piece of US history.
Despite their obvious popularity there was a time when their very survival was in jeopardy. Various reports state that the US Treasury was opposed to the idea, unconvinced by the figures and unsure of the concept. Nevertheless the State Quarters Programme made it through a strict feasibility study unscathed, and the first coins were struck in 1999 – the rest is history…
It’s estimated that nearly half of all Americans collected these coins in some form or another. That’s roughly 150 million people!
But as the series was technically intended for circulation it could sometimes take years for a collector to find all the quarters in their change. And as each coin was struck for just 10 weeks, never to be struck again, finding every single one of these coins would still take a monumental effort. Especially as a significant proportion of the coins were taken out of circulation straight away into private collections, making them harder to find than ever before.
The coins were so popular that in 2009, following the conclusion of the 50 State Quarters Program, a one year follow up series began featuring six additional Quarters that represented the six US jurisdictions that aren’t classified as states.
What’s more, these extra coins had a significantly lower mintage of 636,200,000 – a tiny amount compared to the 50 State Quarters Program that had its lowest mintage in 2008 with just 2,438,200,000 Quarters being issued.
These 56 US Quarters in total clearly make for an excellent collection of US coinage and it’s not surprising that this collection became the most successful numismatics program in history!
Start collecting today with 6 of the MOST WANTED US Quarters
2009 District of Columbia and United States Territories Quarters! Credit: usacoinbook.com
Start your very own journey with the collection of US State Quarters that Half of America Collected… and save yourself all the hard work of searching for each of these quarters individually.
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