General info
First look: New Royal Mint UK coin designs for 2017
Every year The Royal Mint mark the year’s memorable events and anniversaries that capture the nation’s striking stories on circulating coins, and 2017 is no different.
Today The Royal Mint have unveiled the new themes and designs for all the 2017 commemorative coins, and Change Checkers can look forward to some very significant British anniversaries being commemorated.
£5 – King Canute
2017 marks the 1000th anniversary of the coronation of King Canute and this £5 coin designed by Lee R. Jones has been issued.
This brand new £5 coin depicts King Canute, the Viking conqueror hailed the first ‘king of all England’.
£5 – House of Windsor Centenary
To mark the 100th anniversary of the creation of the House of Windsor this £5 coin has been designed by John Bergdahl.
A centenary of royal service is commemorated on this £5 coin marking the 100th anniversary of the creation of the House of Windsor – when King George V changed the name of the British Royal Family from the German Saxe-Coburg and Gotha to the English Windsor.
£2 – Jane Austen
Designed by Dominique Evans, a portrait of Jane Austen features on this brand new £2 coin to mark 200 years since her death.
To mark the 200th anniversary of the death of Jane Austen, one of the best-loved English novelists, this £2 coin featuring her portrait has been issued.
£2 – WW1 Aviation
This £2 coin has been designed by the agency ‘tangerine’ and pays tribute to the aviators of the First World War.
In commemoration of the Centenary of the First World War, The Royal Mint has issued a series of specially commissioned £2 coins. This coin pays tribute to the aviators of the First World War and their sacrifices in the race for supremacy of the skies.
50p – Sir Isaac Newton
This 50p coin has been issued to commemorate the achievements of Sir Isaac Newton and has been designed by Aaron West.
This 50p coin remembers the legacy of Sir Isaac Newton, genius of the Scientific Revolution and one of the most famous men in history.
The announcement of next year’s coins is always an exciting moment for Change Checkers, particularly when the anniversaries are as significant as these.
And now we can now start looking forward to finding these new designs in our change throughout the year!
The 2017 Change Checker Commemorative Coin Set
If you can’t wait to find these coins in your change you can add the 2017 Change Checker Commemorative Coin Set to your collection today>>
Change Checkers are not ready to say farewell to the British Penny…
Last week, we asked Change Checkers if it was time to scrap the British penny.
The penny has been in existence for 1,200 years!
The majority of you said no!
Although it’s fair to say that pennies are rarely used to buy anything anymore, it looks like the sentimental value of the penny is important to us Brits.
53% of Change Checker want to keep the penny.
53% of Change Checkers are in favour of keeping the penny and there are a host of economic, pragmatic, charitable and nostalgic reasons in defence of the penny.
In 1992, all 1p and 2p coins intended for circulation changed from bronze to copper plated steel as a result of the rising price of base metals. Although the Royal Mint does not disclose how much it costs to produce pennies, it is thought that it costs significantly less than face value to produce. The changes to the metal content in 1992 has been key to the future of the penny and allowed it to live on.
Coins are tangible and people do enjoy using them. Most transactions below £10 are still done in cash and it’s likely that it will be a while before it is common for small transactions to be done digitally.
Britain’s traditions run deep and the 1 penny coin is an expression of this tradition. It will be a very sad day if and when they British penny ceases to exist.
Everything you need to know about the new polymer £5 note
Which banknotes are changing, and when? 
The Bank of England is issuing a new Polymer (or plastic) £5 note which will enter circulation on 13 September, 2016. You’ll start to see the notes in the following days and weeks. Around 5,200 ATM’s dispense £5 notes and most are expected to switch to dispensing the new notes within the first month.
There will also be a new £10 note in Summer 2017, and a new £20 note by 2020. The current £50 note was issued in 2011 and there are currently no plans to replace it in the near future.
How will the new banknotes change?
The new £5, £10 and £20 notes will be printed on Polymer – a thin and flexible plastic material. This means that the new notes will be cleaner, safer and stronger than paper notes.
They will also feature added security features. The five pound note will feature:
- A large see-through window containing an image of the queen and a foil Elizabeth Tower.
- The Elizabeth Tower (Big Ben) is gold on the front and silver on the back.
- The silver foil patch at the bottom of the tower has a hologram of the word ‘Five’ changing to the word ‘Pounds’.
- The silver foil patch at the top of the tower has an image of the coronation crown which appears 3D.
- Under ultra-violet light, the number 5 appears in bright red and green.
What size will the new banknotes be?
The new notes will be around 15% smaller than the current paper notes but will retain the traditional look of the existing notes, with a portrait of Her Majesty the Queen on the front, and a historic character on the back. The existing format of tiered sizing will be maintained, i.e. the higher the denomination, the longer the height and the length of the note.
Which historic characters will appear on the new banknotes?
The Polymer five pound note will feature Sir Winston Churchill, the ten pound note will feature Jane Austen and the twenty pound note will feature J.M.W. Turner.
What will happen to my old paper banknotes?
The paper notes will start to be withdrawn from circulation as the polymer notes are introduced. It is expected that by January 2017 more than half the £5 notes in circulation will have been switched for polymer notes.
You can continue to use the paper £5 note until legal tender status is withdrawn in May 2017.
What happens if I still have old notes after legal tender status has been withdrawn?
All Bank of England notes retain their face value for all time. If your bank, building society or Post Office is not willing to accept these notes then they can be exchanged with the Bank of England in London by post or in person.
Will I be able to use the polymer banknotes in the same way as paper?
Yes. Polymer notes can be used in the same way as paper notes. For example, they will be available from ATM’s and can be folded in a wallet. Brand new polymer notes can sometimes stick together, but this effect is short-lived once in use.
Why bother changing them?
The new notes are expected to last at least 2.5 times longer than the current paper notes. In 2015 21,835 notes were replaced due to damage from being torn, washed, contaminated, damaged and even chewed and eaten!
The new polymer material is resistant to dirt and moisture which means they will stay in a better condition for longer. Plus, when a polymer note reaches the end of its life, it will be recycled.
Will they be collectable?
Like any new issues, collectors will be keen to own the very first notes. Early serial numbers are likely to be more sought after – especially on good condition or uncirculated notes.
Mark the moment the £5 banknote changed forever…
Just 5,000 new UK Polymer £5 Notes have been reserved for a Limited Edition DateStamp™ release.
Click here to add one to your collection.