The Last-Ever Peter Rabbit 50p! NEW 2020 coin released!
The BRAND NEW and last-ever Peter Rabbit 50p has now been officially released!
It would be hard to find someone who hadn’t heard of this naughty little rabbit. The central character of Beatrix Potter’s beloved children’s stories, Peter Rabbit has featured on many staple collectables.
Emma Noble’s design of this coin, which features an original illustration of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter herself, perfectly captures Peter Rabbit’s cheeky personality, as he can be seen crawling under Mr. McGregor’s fence!
This coin won’t be entering circulation but is available to purchase in Brilliant Uncirculated quality for just £4.50 (+p&p) here.
Where it all started
It was in 2016 that Peter Rabbit escaped from Mr. McGregor’s garden and made his first debut on United Kingdom coinage.
Issued to celebrate 150 years since the birth of renowned Children’s author, Beatrix Potter, this 50p changed coin collecting forever.
There were five Beatrix Potter 50ps issued in 2016, including the incredibly popular Jemima Puddle-Duck, which, for a long time, was considered the rarest Beatrix Potter coin in circulation. She was also joined by fellow characters Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle and Squirrel Nutkin.
A very special 50p was issued the same year, celebrating Beatrix Potter herself and features her silhouette and her emblem.
This series of coins continued into 2017, 2018 and 2019. Fifteen Beatrix Potter coins have now been issued since 2016, each featuring one of Potter’s delightful characters, from Flopsy Bunny to Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle.
Peter Rabbit is the only character to feature more than once in the Beatrix Potter 50p series, with no less than 5 coins issued to celebrated the nation’s favourite little rabbit.
Sadly, Peter Rabbit’s 50p tale has now come to an end. It has been confirmed that the 2020 50p will be the very last UK Peter Rabbit 50p to be issued!
Which Beatrix Potter coins are the rarest?
To celebrate the release of this brand-new Peter Rabbit 50p, we’ve taken a look back at the mintage figures for the different Beatrix Potter 50ps to find out which ones are the rarest in circulation…
Following the release of the 2018 mintage figures, we’ve seen the 2018 Peter Rabbit and Flopsy Bunny 50ps take joint top spot on the Beatrix Potter Mintage Chart. With mintages of just 1,400,000, these coins are the rarest Beatrix Potter coins in circulation and have already proved incredibly popular with collectors!
We also saw the 2018 Mrs. Tittlemouse claim its spot on the podium, pushing Jemima Puddle-Duck – previously thought of as the rarest Beatrix Potter 50p in circulation – further down the chart, with a circulating mintage of 1,700,000.
So collectors that have held onto their 2018 Beatrix Potter 50ps will be delighted to see this! If you don’t have these coins in your collection yet, now’s the time to keep your eyes out to hunt down these sought-after 50ps.
4 years on from his initial release, it’s safe to say that Peter Rabbit inspired a whole new generation of collectors to start checking their change.
I have no doubt that the 2020 Peter Rabbit 50p will prove as popular as the previous years, and I’m sure collectors and Peter Rabbit fans alike will be chasing this rascally rabbit right into their collections.
Secure this brand new 2020 UK Peter Rabbit 50p in Brilliant Uncirculated Quality
This is your chance to be ahead of the crowd and secure the very last Peter Rabbit 50p in superior Brilliant Uncirculated condition for just £4.50 (+p&p).
Four brand new £5 coins issued to celebrate The Tower of London!
Built during the Norman Conquest in 1066, Her Majesty’s Royal Palace and fortress of the Tower of London has been used as a prison, jewel house, mint and even a menagerie.
It’s been home to kings and queens, thieves and traitors and lions and bears.
In tribute to the Tower, The Royal Mint issued a four coin series throughout 2019 celebrating the history of the Tower of London, one of Britain’s most iconic attractions. The series included coins depicting the following:
- The Legend of the Ravens
- The Yeoman Warders
- The Ceremony of the Keys
- The Crown Jewels
The collection continues in 2020 with four new £5 coins featuring original designs, each exploring a different element of the Tower of London’s history. The series will include coins depicting the following:
- The Infamous Prison
- The Royal Mint
- The Royal Menagerie
- The White Tower
2020 The Infamous Prison £5
The final coin in The Royal Mint’s 2020 Tower of London £5 series has JUST been released and it celebrates the gruesome history of the Tower’s Infamous Prison.
- Spanning the years of its use, The Tower of London housed a variety of famous prisoners, including three Queens of England; Anne Boleyn, Catherine Howard, and Lady Jane Grey!
Whilst some wealthy, influential inmates could be held in relative comfort, deprived only of their liberty, other prisoners, such as the three Queens of England were met with a more gruesome fate and were executed by beheading on the Tower Green!
In 2020, the Tower of London’s secure fortress and symbol of royal power has been celebrated on this brand new Infamous Prison £5 coin!
Heraldic artist Timothy Noad has designed this brand new Infamous Prison £5, which features the inscription ‘MY LIBERTIE DENIED’. These words have been taken from ‘graffiti’ in the Tower which has been attributed to Thomas Miagh, a prisoner at the Tower!
This coin also features the final jigsaw-style section of the Norman arched window which completes the motif of the 2020 Tower of London £5 coin series.
The Infamous Prison £5 is available in a number of specifications, including Brilliant Uncirculated quality for JUST £10.99! (+p&p). Click here to secure yours >>
Infamous Prisoners
From the late 15th century and during its peak period as a prison in the 16th and 17th centuries, the Tower housed some of Britain’s most notorious criminals, including Guy Fawkes, Anne Boleyn and even Elizabeth I before she became queen.
For those in a position of wealth, serving time at the Tower could be relatively comfortable, with some captive kings allowed to go out on hunting or shopping trips and even allowed to bring in their servants. However, for those less fortunate, the phrase “sent to the Tower” would conjure up gruesome images of torture and execution, such was its fearsome reputation.
Despite this reputation, only 7 people were executed at the Tower before the World Wars of the 20th century, where 12 men were then executed for espionage.
2020 Royal Mint £5
The third coin in The Royal Mint’s 2020 Tower of London £5 series celebrates the Tower’s minting history.
Wales has long been the location of The Royal Mint, but did you know that before this, it had two previous homes? It was kept secure at Tower Hill for a period of time but before that, it was housed within the walls of the Tower of London for 500 years!
The Royal Mint was first established by Edward I in the dedicated area which became known as Mint Street.
In 2020, The Royal Mint’s historic ties to the Tower of London has been celebrated on this £5 coin!
Heraldic artist Timothy Noad has designed the Royal Mint £5, which also features the second jigsaw-style section of the Norman arched window which will be seen in full when all four 2020 Tower of London £5 coins are placed together.
The Royal Mint £5 is available in a number of specifications, including Brilliant Uncirculated quality for JUST £10.99! (+p&p). Click here to secure yours >>
Royal Mint
From 1272 until 1810, the Tower of London was home to The Royal Mint. Coins of the realm were produced in a dedicated area in the outer ward known as ‘Mint Street’. This dangerous task involved working with scorching furnaces, deadly chemicals and poisonous gases and many Mint workers suffered injuries including loss of fingers and eyes from the process.
In the 1600s, coins were no longer made by hand, but instead a screw-operated press was introduced. However, risk still befell the Mint workers, as they faced severe punishments should they be caught tampering with or forging coins.
In 1810, the Mint moved from the Tower to a new site at Tower Hill and eventually on to its present location in Wales to allow for expansion.
2020 Royal Menagerie £5
The second coin in The Royal Mint’s 2020 Tower of London series celebrates the Royal Menagerie.
There was once a time when monkeys, elephants and even polar bears roamed the Tower of London, in an area of the castle called The Royal Menagerie.
Heraldic artist Timothy Noad has designed this Royal Menagerie £5 with some of the castle’s old inhabitants – lions! This coin also features the second jigsaw-style section of the Norman arched window which will be seen in full when all four 2020 Tower of London £5 coins are placed together.
The Royal Menagerie £5 is available in a number of specifications, including Brilliant Uncirculated quality for JUST £10.99! (+p&p)
The Royal Menagerie
From the 1200s to 1835, the Tower of London housed a menagerie of exotic wild animals, never before seen in London, including Elephants, Lions, and Polar Bears.
The Royal Menagerie began as a result of medieval monarchs exchanging rare and strange animals as gifts (Historic Royal Palaces). In 1235, Henry III was presented with three leopards by the Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II, inspiring him to open a zoo at the Tower.
Although many of the animals had brand new houses and dedicated keepers, they did not survive in the cramped conditions.
Therefore, Edward I (1239-1307) created a permanent new home for the Menagerie, known as the Lion Tower, named after the beasts kept there. During this time, visitors to the Tower would have first crossed a drawbridge to the Lion Tower, experiencing the terrifying sounds and smells of the animals.
Today’s world-famous London Zoo in Regent’s Park was founded by the original 150 animals moving from the Tower Menagerie.
The animals of the menagerie are commemorated by 13 wire sculptures around the Tower, by artist Kendra Haste.
2020 White Tower £5
The first £5 coin to be released in the 2020 Tower of London series celebrates the White Tower.
Designed by heraldic artist, Timothy Noad, the reverse of the coin depicts the model of the White Tower, which sits on top of the mace that the Chief Yeoman Warder carries.
In a nod to the previous collection, when all four coins are placed together, a full image of a Norman arched window can be seen, framing the design of each coin.
The White Tower £5 is available in Gold Proof, Silver Proof and Brilliant Uncirculated quality and I’m sure collectors will be eager to add this representation of our royal history to their collection.
Click here to secure your coin in Brilliant Uncirculated quality for just £10.99 (+p&p)
The White Tower
Built 1078-1097 under William the Conqueror’s rule, the White Tower is the oldest part of the Tower of London and is the most famous castle keep in the world.
Built to awe, subdue and terrify Londoners, the White Tower’s ramparts, which are 90ft high, would have cast dark shadows over the wooden buildings of medieval London.
In 1674, the skeletons of two children were discovered in the White Tower, during the demolition of a staircase leading to the chapel of St. John. The bones have, for years, been speculated as the remains of the Princes in the Tower, Edward V and his younger brother Richard, Duke of York. Richard III is the name most associated with the mystery of the two little princes. It is believed that he had them killed as their right to the throne was stronger than his… Whilst this mystery is still yet to be solved, one thing’s for definite, this Tower really is a centre-piece of British History.
Now, the White Tower showcases the awe-inspiring historic and world-class Royal Armouries collections, including the royal armours of Henry VIII, Charles I and James II.
Now that the 2020 Tower of London £5 has concluded, which design is your favourite? Let us know in the comments below!
Secure your 2020 Infamous Prison £5 Today!
Bearilliant news – Rupert Bear 50p coins released on the Isle of Man!
Change Checkers on the Isle of Man are in for a real treat as, for the first time ever, Rupert Bear & co are featuring on new 50p coins – and we think they’re just bearilliant!
Rupert Bear was created in 1920 by Mary Tourtel as a cartoon for the Daily Express newspaper and his adventures continue up to this day, celebrating his 100th anniversary in 2020.
I’m sure many collectors out there will have fond memories of growing up with Rupert Bear and will be just as excited as we are by the release of these new 50p coins.
The world’s first Rupert Bear 50p coin
To celebrate this exciting centenary anniversary, the Isle of Man have issued the first ever Rupert Bear 50p coin.
The coin is available in Brilliant Uncirculated quality and stunning .925 Sterling Silver, finished to a proof standard and featuring a full colour illustration of the famous bear, exactly as he appears in the classic comic strip series.
But for those collectors looking to secure something extra special, an incredibly limited amount of just 250 coins struck from 22 Carat Gold to a Proof finish are also available.
The obverse of each coin features a portrait of Her Majesty the Queen designed by engraver Jody Clark and you’ll notice that this looks different to the obverse of our UK change due to the inclusion of the Queen’s shoulders within the portrait.
Coin collectors and fans of the British bear alike will be delighted with this coin, but the fun doesn’t stop there as Rupert has also been joined by his friends on a special set of five 50p coins…
Complete Rupert Bear & co Collection
Each of the reverse designs feature some of the best-loved characters from the comic strip – including Rupert Bear, Podgy Pig, Bill Badger, Edward Trunk and Algy Pug.
And the best news is that this set is available in both superior Brilliant Uncirculated and stunning Silver Proof quality featuring full colour illustrations of these fantastic characters.
These sets are the only way you can own all five coins in superior quality, and that’s because none of the designs (aside from the Rupert Bear 50p) will be available to purchase individually.
Isle of Man Change Checkers are in for a treat!
Excitingly for those lucky Change Checkers on the Isle of Man, these 50p coins are legal tender on the island and an initial release of 25,000 of each design will be issued into circulation!
However, as collectors know, British Isles 50p coins like this rarely turn up in your change in the UK, making these 50ps some of the most sought-after circulating coins around.
What’s more, previous Isle of Man 50p coins have proved popular with collectors time and again, often selling for well over face value on the secondary market.
Some of the most popular Isle of Man circulation coins feature The Snowman and can be found selling for hundreds of pounds of eBay.
We’re sure that British Isles collectors will be quick to snap up the new Rupert Bear 50p coins, so keep your eyes out for them if you’re lucky enough to be on the Isle of Man.
LIMITED EDITION
The 50p has firmly established itself as the collector’s favourite and Silver Proof 50ps are known for their rapid sell-out history, making them some of the most sought-after issues around.
Not only this, the Isle of Man is renowned for their low edition limits due to the small population of just 84,000 inhabitants on the island.
Therefore it comes as no surprise that these coins are so very limited…
Just 4,950 of the Rupert Bear Silver Proof 50p coins and just 2,495 of the Rupert Bear Silver Proof Complete 50p Sets are available to collectors worldwide – a significantly low amount given the immense popularity of Rupert Bear for multiple generations.
SELL-OUT EXPECTED
Comparing Rupert Bear to the incredible Royal Mint sell-out success of the UK Gruffalo Silver Proof 50p which had an edition limit of 25,000 (more than five times the edition limit of Rupert Bear), you’ll understand just how sought-after these coins are going to be.
And of course, who could forget the phenomenal Peter Pan 50p coins released by the Isle of Man last year?
These magical coins had the collecting world spellbound, with collectors queueing on the Westminster Collection’s site for the chance to purchase the new coins.
And so the message for anyone interested in securing the brand new Rupert Bear 50ps is to act quickly, particularly when it comes to those Silver Proof coins, as a sell-out is expected.
We think these coins are a fantastic tribute to Rupert Bear’s 100th anniversary and are simply adorable! But what do you think about this new release? Let us know in the comments below!
Secure the world’s first Rupert Bear 50p!
Click here to add the Rupert Bear 50p coin to your British Isles collection from just £6.25 (+p&p).