UK Coin Issues
The 2025 George Orwell £2 is watching you…
War is peace. Freedom is slavery. Ignorance is strength.
You might recognise this motto from the dystopian novel Nineteen Eighty-Four (1984), perhaps one of George Orwell’s best known works. And if you’re a fan of Orwell’s stories, you’ll be delighted to hear that a UK £2 coin has been issued to celebrate his life and works.
An ‘eye’ for detail
The 2025 UK George Orwell £2 has been issued 75 years after the passing of English novelist, poet, journalist and social critic, Eric Arthur Blair – better known by his pen name George Orwell.
The reverse design, created by Henry Gray in collaboration with the Orwell Foundation, features an illustration of an eye in reference to the all-seeing Big Brother from Orwell’s final novel, Nineteen Eighty-Four. In the centre of the eye is a camera lens surrounded by the iconic tagline “BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING YOU”, and yet another famous quote from the story, “THERE WAS TRUTH AND THERE WAS UNTRUTH”, serves as the coin’s edge inscription.
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Other works
During his life, Orwell penned several novels including Animal Farm, A Clergyman’s Daughter and Keep the Aspidistra Flying, as well as three nonfiction works, and he was even named the second-greatest British writer since 1945 by The Times in 2008, second only to Philip Larkin.
Image credit: Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
However, his 1949 novel Nineteen Eighty-Four remains one of the most influential books in popular and political culture, with many words and phrases from the story becoming part of the English language.
Previous UK coins issued to celebrate British literature and legendary writers have proven incredibly popular with collectors. We’ve seen the likes of J.R.R. Tolkien, H.G. Wells, Mary Shelley and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle feature on UK coins in recent years, and George Orwell is a welcome addition.
Secure your 2025 UK George Orwell £2
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Ring in the New Year with the 2025 Annual Coin Set!
Every year, the Annual Coin Set is one of the most eagerly anticipated releases, as it’s the first chance collectors have to secure some of the key coins from the year ahead.
The 2025 Annual Set includes five brand new 2025 coins, celebrating the very best of British culture, iconic figures, institutions and events that have shaped the nation’s history.
So, let’s take a closer look at the coins in the 2025 Annual Coin Set…
Red Arrows 50p
Speed. Agility. Precision…these are the hallmarks of the Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team—better known as the Red Arrows. And to mark 60 years since their first display in 1965, the Red Arrows are being celebrated on a UK 50p.
The iconic team has wowed audiences worldwide with their breath taking displays across 57 countries with nearly 5,000 shows, making them a global symbol of excellence. Now, their legacy is celebrated with this special UK 50p coin, featuring three sleek and distinctive Hawk T1 aircraft and their smoke trails.
This is the first time the Red Arrows have featured on a UK coin, and the design perfectly represents their inspiring and captivating displays which are loved by so many.
Stories of The Second World War 50p
The Second World War was a time when extraordinary courage and relentless effort came from all corners of the UK and the Commonwealth, forever shaping modern British society.
From the battlefields to the home front, everyone played a role in the war effort—each story, a testament to resilience and unity.
The Stories of the Second World War 50p honours their service, depicting the medals awarded to millions who contributed to the cause. The medals featured include the 1939-45 Star, Defence Medal and War Medal, representing the countless unique experiences of the Second World War.
Steam Passenger Train £2
On to the £2 coins, the first of which commemorates 200 years since the very first steam passenger train journey. On September 27, 1825, George Stephenson’s Locomotion No. 1 made history by carrying hundreds of passengers across 26 miles—from Shildon to Stockton—launching a journey that would shape the modern world.
Since Locomotion 1’s inaugural journey, rail travel has undergone huge technological and engineering advancements, transforming every aspect of life including tourism, trade, post and even football.
This £2 coin commemorates that ground breaking moment in 1825, with a design featuring Locomotion Number 1 in action, packed with excited passengers and the inscription ‘The Journey that changed the world’, along with the years 1825-2025.
Royal Greenwich Observatory £2
The second £2 coin in the Annual Set celebrates 350 years of the UK’s first purpose build scientific institution – the Royal Greenwich Observatory.
The observatory was commissioned in 1674 by Charles II and was intended as a beacon for timekeeping and sea navigation. It’s home to the historic Prime Meridian of the World, which divides the eastern and western hemispheres and gave its name to Greenwich Mean Time, the precursor to today’s Coordinated Universal Time.
The design on this £2 coin captures the Observatory’s rich legacy, featuring the Shepherd Gate Clock, the constellation Ursa Minor, the star Polaris and the meridian line in front of a globe. The coin also includes the edge inscription ‘PERFECTING THE ART OF NAVIGATION’, taken from the Observatory’s founding Royal Warrant.
Birth of the Queen Mother £5
The last coin we need to talk about will actually only be available as part of the 2025 Annual Coin Set, as it won’t be individually released, and that’s the Birth of the Queen Mother £5.
Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother was a symbol of national strength and resilience, especially during the trials of the Second World War, and across a remarkable life spanning more than a century, she steadfastly supported two British monarchs—her husband, King George VI, and her daughter, Queen Elizabeth II.
This exclusive £5 coin marks 125 years since the birth of Queen Elizabeth, with a design featuring a timeless portrait that celebrates her enduring legacy, along with her royal cypher, thistles and roses. And interestingly, the portrait has been taken from the design on the 1980 coin that marked her 80th birthday.
Last year, there was also one coin from the Annual Set that wasn’t individually issued, the Winston Churchill £2, however collectors didn’t know this right away, so we want to make sure you don’t miss this exclusive chance to own this coin by securing the 2025 Annual Coin Set.
So there you have the 2025 Annual Coin Set, a collection of five incredible coins from the year to come.
And whilst 4 of these coins will be individually released later in the year, the only way to get the Queen Mother £5 is by securing the 2025 Annual Set.
Secure the 2025 Annual Coin Set
Each coin has been struck to a superior Brilliant Uncirculated quality and is protectively encapsulated in official Change Checker packaging, housed in a display page ready to slot into your Change Checker Album.
To ensure you don’t miss out on adding all FIVE new coins to your collection for JUST £42 (+postage), click here >>
Harry Potter The Black Lake 50p – a treasure worth diving for!
The latest UK 50p that celebrates Harry Potter features an illustration of the iconic Black Lake scene from Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, and it’s bound to make a splash in the collecting community!
An intriguing design
For those unfamiliar with the scene that inspired the design on this 50p, the Black Lake plays a pivotal role in the Triwizard Tournament in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, where Harry must rescue his friends from its murky depths.
The design, created by Bella Biggs in partnership with Warner Bros. Discovery Global Consumer Products, captures the eerie beauty of the lake, with Harry being grabbed by the Merpeople for trying to save more than one of his friends during the trial.
Previous UK Harry Potter 50ps
The 2024 UK Harry Potter The Black Lake 50p follows the incredibly popular Harry Potter 50ps which were issued in 2022 to celebrate 25 years since the publication of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, as well as the Harry Potter The Winged Keys 50p which was issued earlier this year.
The original Harry Potter 50p series featured four coins, each representing a recognisable figure or location from the Wizarding World, including Harry Potter himself, Professor Dumbledore, the Hogwarts Express and Hogwarts School.
The Harry Potter 50p series quickly became a favourite with collectors, and earlier this year, another exciting addition joined the fold – the Harry Potter The Winged Keys 50p. This coin brought back fond memories of the first book, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, illustrating the thrilling moment when Harry, Ron, and Hermione must capture an enchanted flying key on their way to the Philosopher’s Stone.
Secure your 2024 UK Harry Potter The Black Lake 50p
Considering the immense popularity of previous Harry Potter coins, The Black Lake 50p is sure to be a favourite for both coin collectors and fans of the Harry Potter franchise. You can relive a key moment from the fourth Harry Potter story, by diving in to this brand new 50p and securing one for your collection today.
Add the 2024 UK Harry Potter The Black Lake 50p to your collection for just £8.99 (+p&p) >>