£5 Coins
150 Years of Liberty London celebrated on a UK £5
For the first time ever, one of London’s most iconic department stores, Liberty, has been celebrated on a UK coin, and you won’t believe how stunning it looks.
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150 Years of Liberty
2025 marks 150 years since British merchant Arthur Lasenby Liberty opened his first store, sourcing fabrics, ornaments and trinkets from around the world. Since then, Liberty has gained international acclaim for its unique and trendsetting pieces, and is famed for its directional design, cultural collaborations and inspiring curation.
Image Credit: Oast House Archive, CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Did you know? The Tudor style Liberty building was constructed from the timbers of two ancient battle ships – the HMS Impregnable and the HMS Hindustan.
A breath taking design
The reverse design on the 2025 150 Years of Liberty £5 has been created by The Royal Mint and the Liberty design team, and features the famous Liberty building with decorative half-timbering and iconic Mayflower ship weather vane. An elegant floral paisley motif also sweeps across the design, an homage to the bold fabrics Liberty is known for, along with the Liberty logo and the inscription ‘150 YEARS’.
While we’ve seen UK coins celebrate everything from Royal anniversaries to literary legends, this release is truly one-of-a-kind, as it’s the very first time Liberty has appeared on a UK coin.
In fact, the Gold Proof 150 Years of Liberty £5 was completely reserved at The Royal Mint within just hours of release!
London landmarks on coins
Liberty isn’t the first iconic London building to feature on a UK coin, in fact we’ve seen a fair few London landmarks on our coins in recent years…
2024 Buckingham Palace £5
One of the most recognisable buildings in the world, Buckingham Palace, has been home to British monarchs since Queen Victoria, and was celebrated on a UK £5 coin in 2024.
Originally issued as part of the 2024 Annual Coin Set and individually issued later that year, the Buckingham Palace £5 features a beautifully detailed depiction of the front of Buckingham Palace with the Royal Standard flying, encircled by a floral ring.
Many a state visit and national celebration have taken place at the Palace, most recently The King’s Coronation celebrations in 2023 and Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations in 2022.
2024 National Gallery £2
Another coin that featured in the 2024 Annual Set was the National Gallery £2, celebrating the 200th anniversary of the gallery.
Originally founded in 1824, the gallery was initially based in financier John Julius Angerstein’s house, until a dedicated building was commissioned to be built in Trafalgar Square in London in 1838.
The iconic gallery building features on this £2 coin along with the inscription ‘200 years of the National Gallery’.
2018 and 2019 Paddington 50ps
Paddington first featured on a UK coin in 2018, when two 50p coins were issued to celebrate the 60th Anniversary of Michael Bond’s classic book, A Bear Called Paddington. The beloved bear was seen visiting popular landmarks around London, such as his namesake train station and Buckingham Palace.
Paddington’s tour of London continued when two more Paddington 50ps were issued in 2019. He stopped off at the Tower of London, where he enjoyed a marmalade sandwich, and tipped his hat at St Paul’s Cathedral.
With so many historic London buildings having already featured on UK coins, Liberty is a fitting addition, especially in its 150th year!
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The Royal Arms reimagined – King Charles III’s Coat of Arms features on a UK coin for the first time
Over 2 years after he acceded to the throne, His Majesty King Charles III’s Royal Coat of Arms, a powerful symbol of sovereignty and national identity, has made its debut on a UK coin.
The Royal Arms reimagined
For over a millennium, the Royal Arms have represented the authority of the monarchy, appearing on everything from official government documents to British passports. While previous monarchs’ arms have graced our coinage before, this is the first time that King Charles III’s Royal Coat of Arms has featured on a UK coin.
Image Credit: Public domain via Wikimedia Commons
The 2025 Coat of Arms of King Charles III £5 marks a new chapter in British history, featuring a stunning heraldic design by Timothy Noad. Noad’s interpretation of the Royal Arms balances tradition with modernity, showcasing the shield supported by the lion and unicorn, along with regal symbolism that reflects His Majesty’s commitment to heritage, duty, and service.
A history of Royal Arms on UK coinage
Although this is the first time King Charles III’s Coat of Arms has featured on a UK coin, it joins a prestigious lineage of coins bearing the Royal Arms.
During Queen Elizabeth II’s reign, the Royal Coat of Arms appeared on the first £1 coin, which was first issued in 1983 to replace the less robust £1 note. The Royal Arms round pound was issued in 1983, 1993, 2003 and 2008 and featured a stylised Queen Elizabeth II Coat of Arms designed by Eric Sewell, chief engraver at the Royal Mint.
In 2015, the Royal Mint revealed a new design for the Royal Arms £1 coin, featuring Timothy Noad’s contemporary adaptation of the traditional Royal Arms design. It was one of the last commemorative designs to feature on the round pound coin.
Secure the 2025 Coat of Arms of King Charles III £5
Whether you’re a seasoned collector or simply someone who appreciates the fusion of artistry and history, this coin represents an extraordinary moment in UK numismatic heritage.
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A Legendary New Coin – The Little John £5
Every leader needs a loyal lieutenant, and that’s exactly what Little John was to Robin Hood in the English folklore story. The third and final coin in the Robin Hood Collection features none other than the towering warrior himself, Little John.
A powerful design
The reverse design, by Jody Clark, shows Little John standing tall amongst the trees of Sherwood Forest, quarterstaff in hand. John was was known to be a master of the quarterstaff, a traditional European polearm dating back to the mid-16th century.
The design is actually taken from the 2022 Little John Bullion coin, which was part of the Royal Mint’s Myths and Legends bullion mini-series.
To highlight the dynamic design, your 2024 UK Little John £5 has been struck to a Brilliant Uncirculated quality – the standard favoured among collectors.
Who is Little John?
Little John appeared in some of the earliest versions of Robin Hood ballads and stories – some dating back to the 15th century! He is predominantly known as Robin Hood’s chief lieutenant and second in command of the Merry Men.
Sometimes depicted as nearly 7 foot tall and incredibly brave and strong, “Little” John gained his ironic nickname in reference to his large frame.
Image Credit: Louis Rhead, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Little John has been portrayed in countless ballads, literature, plays, TV shows and films, but it was in a 17th century Robin Hood ballad, where John and Hood’s first meeting was described in most detail.
Little John tried to prevent Hood from crossing a narrow bridge, whereupon they fought with quarterstaffs, and Robin was overcome. Despite having won the duel, John agreed to join his band and fight alongside him – this is now the most popular explanation of how the two outlaws met.
Previously in the Myths and Legends series…
The 2024 Little John £5 coin is the final coin in the Robin Hood Collection, which has previously featured the Robin Hood £5 and the Maid Marian £5.
Robin Hood and Maid Marian
Prior to the Robin Hood Collection, the first three coins in the Myths and Legends series focused on Arthurian Legends. The series kicked off with the King Arthur £5, followed by mythical wizard Merlin and concluded with shapeshifter and witch, Morgan Le Fay.
King Arthur, Merlin and Morgan le Fay
The Myths and Legends £5 series has united minting excellence with timeless legends of British folklore, featuring some of the most legendary mythical characters ever.
Do you have any of these coins in your collection? And what legend or folklore story would you like to see feature on UK coins? Let us know in the comments below!
Continue your Myths and Legends collection
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