50p Coins
Just like magic… The Snowman™ returns to UK 50p
For me, Christmas isn’t complete without The Snowman™. Every year, it’s guaranteed to put a smile on my face.
First published in 1978, the book has sold more than 5.5 million copies in 15 different languages! In 1982, the story was also adapted into an animated film by Channel 4.
Whichever version you prefer, it’s fair to say The Snowman™ has earned its title as one of the world’s greatest tales.
One of my favourite scenes from the tale, is when James is building his Snowman and we see him draw on a big smile.
So, this is why the 2021 UK Snowman™ 50p, is one of my favourite festive coins. This exact scene from the book can be seen on the design of this 50p and if you’re like me, it’s bound to warm your hearts this winter.
The new design by award winning illustrator and animator, Robin Shaw, continues the celebrations of the 40th anniversary of Raymond Briggs’ much-loved festive tale, The Snowman™.
It would be hard to find someone who doesn’t have fond memories of this magical festive tale, making this 50p the perfect Christmas gift for collectors and Snowman fans alike.
As you’d expect with such a special 50p, your coin has been struck to a superior Brilliant Uncirculated quality and carefully encapsulated in Official Change Checker Packaging with the all-important security hologram, guaranteeing its quality.
Whether you’re treating yourself, or a loved one this Christmas, there’s snow way you’ll want to miss this 50p issue. To secure yours for JUST £4.50 (+p&p), simply click here >>
In the rest of this blog, I give you my top tips for building your own snowman and I invite you to discover the history of The Snowman™ on coins.
So, grab yourself a blanket, a cup of cocoa, and cosy up!
2020 UK The Snowman™ 50p
Issued in 2020 to continue the celebrations of the 40th anniversary of Raymond Briggs’ classic Christmas tale, Robin Shaw’s design of this 50p takes inspiration from the friendship between The Snowman™ and James.
This coin is no longer on sale at The Royal Mint, meaning it’s not as easy to get hold of. Luckily, Change Checker has some remaining stock of this charming 50p. To secure yours whilst stock lasts, click here >>
2019 The 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!
2018 The Snowman™ 50p
Celebrating the 40th anniversary of the Christmas classic, Natasha Ratcliffe’s design of this 2018 50p features The Snowman and James ‘walking in the air’…
This 50p 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™ appeared on a UK coin, it’s 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™ sold for over £250 on the secondary market in 2019 – 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.
As winter approaches and the weather gets even colder, it’s got me thinking about building my own snowman…
Here are some helpful tips so you can build the best snowman this year!
- The best time to pack snow is when it approaches melting point and becomes moist and compact. This means you can build a big snowball by simply rolling it (which saves a lot of your energy!)
- A good time to build a snowman may be the next warm afternoon directly following a snowfall with a sufficient amount of snow. This ensures the snow has had time to approach melting point!
- Protect your snowman from the sun damage! Give your snowman the best shot at a long life by situating it someplace flat and shady and face it away from the sun.
- Help your snowman find its balance! Aim for a 3-2-1 snowball ratio and remember, the lower to the ground your snowman is, the more stable it will be.
- Jim Sysko, an expert snowman builder who worked on the largest snowman in the world, suggests flattening the top of each snowball before placing the next one on top. That way your snowman will have more stability.
- Personalise your snowman! Just because the process of building a snowman has remained unchanged for centuries, doesn’t mean you can’t add your own spin on things with decorations! Why not give it a funky cap or repurpose last year’s Christmas jumper?
I’d love to know in the comments if you’ve got any other tips for building a snowman!
The 2021 UK The Snowman™ 50p is definitely my favourite festive 50p of recent years. Which Snowman 50p is your favourite? Let us know in the comments below!
Secure the 2021 UK The Snowman™ 50p today!
Secure yours today for JUST £4.50 (+p&p) by simply clicking here >>
As you’d expect with such a special 50p, your coin has been struck to a superior Brilliant Uncirculated quality and carefully encapsulated in Official Change Checker Packaging with the all-important security hologram, guaranteeing its quality.
Latest 50p in the Innovation in Science series celebrates century of ground-breaking Insulin discovery
The UK’s Innovation in Science 50p Series continues as the BRAND NEW 2021 UK Discovery of Insulin 50p has just been released – commemorating 100 years since this groundbreaking finding!
Saving millions of lives around the world and triggering a century of diabetes research, the discovery of Insulin in 1921 by Sir Frederick G Banting, Charles H Best and JJR Macleod was one of the greatest medical breakthroughs in history.
2021 UK Discovery of Insulin 50p
In this special anniversary year, this life-changing hormone features on the UK’s most collected coin for the very first time.
The design, by Iris De La Torre, features an artistic interpretation of the structure of Insulin along with its molecular formula.
Today, you can own the brand new 2021 UK Discovery of Insulin 50p in superior Brilliant Uncirculated quality for JUST £4.50 (+p&p).
What’s more, your coin has been protectively encapsulated in Official Change Checker packaging with that all-important hologram to guarantee its superior quality.
Secure your 2021 UK Discovery of Insulin CERTIFIED BU 50p today by clicking here >>
Whilst this is the first UK coin to celebrate the discovery of Insulin, The Royal Canadian Mint issued a special collector’s set earlier this year to celebrate this historic anniversary…
2021 Canada Discovery of Insulin Collector Card
Whilst 2021 marks 100 years since Sir Frederick G Banting, Charles H Best and JJR Macleod first discovered Insulin at the University of Toronto, it was later purified by James B Collip.
To celebrate this historic anniversary and one of Canada’s most significant contributions to modern medicine, The Royal Canadian Mint have issued a special collector’s set.
Included within this set you’ll find two versions of the 2021 Discovery of Insulin $2, with a design portraying the story from laboratory to the isolation of insulin.
As well as the two Discovery of Insulin $2 coins, the set also includes five other denominations issued in 2021, perfectly displayed within the colourful collector card explaining the importance of this Canadian medical breakthrough that changed the world.
Just 100,000 sets have been issued for collectors worldwide and we’ve managed to secure an initial allocation of just 250 for UK collectors!
With such a significant anniversary and the inclusion of the selectively coloured $2 coin, high demand for this set is expected – so make sure you don’t miss out! You can secure your 2021 Canada Discovery of Insulin Collector Card today for JUST £22.50 (+p&p) here >>
This exciting new 50p is the very latest addition to The Royal Mint’s Innovation in Science series which has proven incredibly popular with collectors…
2021 UK Charles Babbage 50p
Charles Babbage was an English mathematician and inventor who originated the concept of a digital programmable computer.
In 2021, in the year marking the 150th year of his passing, The Royal Mint commemorated him on a UK 50p – an addition in their Innovation in Science series.
This 50p, designed by Nigel Tudman and Jas Bhamra, features a clever design which links Babbage’s extraordinary machinery to the digital age.
You can secure this coin for your collection for JUST £4.50 (+p&p) here >>
2021 John Logie Baird 50p
It’s hard to imagine life without television but back in the early 1920s, it was a complete unknown.
That was until John Logie Baird successfully produced televised objects in outline in 1924, transmitted recognisable human faces in 1925, and demonstrated the televising of moving objects in 1926.
Issued in 20201, to celebrate the life and works of the ‘Father of Television’, the design of this 50p coin features key milestones from Baird’s life, presented between the lines of transmission radiating from the centre of the coin.
2020 Rosalind Franklin 50p
In the year that would have marked her 100th birthday, The Royal Mint released a 50p celebrating the life and crucial work of Rosalind Franklin, the first female scientist to be commemorated on a UK coin.
David Knapton’s striking design of this coin, features a depiction of Rosalind Franklin’s X-ray, ‘Photograph 51’, which revealed the helical structure of DNA, in her laboratory at King’s College, London.
One of Britain’s greatest scientists, Franklin made a crucial finding to the discovery of the double-helix structure of DNA.
2019 Stephen Hawking 50p
In 2019, less than a year since his death, The Royal Mint released a Stephen Hawking 50p coin, honouring his works as one of the most influential physicists of the modern age.
He became the very first person to be celebrated in The Royal Mint’s Innovators in Science series and only the third person to be commemorated on a coin within a year of their death (the others being Winston Churchill and the Queen Mother!)
The reverse of the coin, designed by Edwina Ellis, features a stylised black hole and the inscription ‘Stephen Hawking’ . It also shows the Bekenstein-Hawking formula, which describes the thermodynamic entropy of a black hole!
The Innovation in Science series has proven incredibly popular with collectors and we’re sure this brand new 2021 UK Discovery of Insulin 50p will be in high demand…
Secure the 2021 UK Discovery of Insulin 50p for your collection for JUST £4.50 (+p&p)
Secure the brand new 2021 UK Discovery of Insulin 50p in superior Brilliant Uncirculated quality for JUST £4.50 (+p&p) by clicking here >>
What’s more, your coin has been protectively encapsulated in Official Change Checker packaging with that all-important hologram to guarantee its superior quality.
Secure your 2021 UK Discovery of Insulin CERTIFIED BU 50p today by clicking here >>
Computer pioneer, Charles Babbage, celebrated on an Innovation in Science 50p…
Charles Babbage was an English mathematician and inventor who originated the concept of a digital programmable computer. He is even considered by some the ‘father of the computer’!
In 2021, the year marking 150 years since his passing, The Royal Mint issued a UK 50p as part of their Innovation in Science series.
2021 UK Charles Babbage 50p
The reverse of the Charles Babbage 50p was created by Nigel Tudman and Jas Bhamra, and features a design honouring Babbage’s legacy, linking his machinery to the digital age. They used a combination of traditional minting skills and modern technology to create the striking design.
The Pioneer of Computing
Boasting an impressive career in calculus, astronomy, and arithmetics , Charles Babbage held the title of Lucasian Professor of Mathematics at Cambridge University.
The 1820s saw Babbage’s development of his ‘Difference Engine’, which was a machine that could perform mathematical calculations. Initially constructed as a six-wheeled model, it was later developed into a bigger, better, and more complex machine – Difference Engine 2.
However, his fame as a computer pioneer largely came from his invention, the Analytical Engine. It could perform any arithmetical calculation using punched cards, as well as a memory unit to store numbers – the fundamental components of today’s computers.
Babbage’s ideas were well ahead of their time, making him a perfect addition to The Royal Mint’s Innovation in Science series.
The Innovation in Science Series
This exciting series kick-started back in 2019 with the issue of the Stephen Hawking 50p.
2019 Stephen Hawking 50p
In 2019, less than a year since his death, The Royal Mint released a Stephen Hawking 50p coin, honouring his works as one of the most influential physicists of the modern age.
He became the very first person to be celebrated in The Royal Mint’s Innovators in Science series and only the third person to be commemorated on a coin within a year of their death (the others being Winston Churchill and the Queen Mother!)
The reverse of the coin, designed by Edwina Ellis, features a stylised black hole and the inscription ‘Stephen Hawking’ . It also shows the Bekenstein-Hawking formula, which describes the thermodynamic entropy of a black hole!
2020 Rosalind Franklin 50p
In the year that would have marked her 100th birthday, The Royal Mint released a 50p celebrating the life and crucial work of Rosalind Franklin, the first female scientist to be commemorated on a UK coin.
David Knapton’s striking design of this coin, features a depiction of Rosalind Franklin’s X-ray, ‘Photograph 51’, which revealed the helical structure of DNA, in her laboratory at King’s College, London.
One of Britain’s greatest scientists, Franklin made a crucial finding to the discovery of the double-helix structure of DNA.
2021 John Logie Baird 50p
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It’s hard to imagine life without television but back in the early 1920s, it was a complete unknown.
That was until John Logie Baird successfully produced televised objects in outline in 1924, transmitted recognisable human faces in 1925, and demonstrated the televising of moving objects in 1926.
Issued in 2021, to celebrate the life and works of the ‘Father of Television’, the design of this 50p coin features key milestones from Baird’s life, presented between the lines of transmission radiating from the centre of the coin.
Do you have any of the Innovation in Science coins in your collection? Let us know in the comments!