Coin News
2021 Change Checker Awards – WINNERS ANNOUNCED!
Since the 2021 Change Checker Awards were opened to celebrate the very best people in the world of change collecting, nominations have been flooding in, and it really has been incredible to hear all of your stories from the last year.
It’s certainly meant we’ve had a really tough job deciding on the winners, but with thanks to our panel of judges from the Change Checker team and AllAboutCoins, our well deserved winners have now been selected…
Change Checker of the Year
Winner
Jeffrey Savage
Not only does Jeffrey have an impressive collection both 50p and £2 coins, his enthusiasm for the hobby is captivating. He’s spent a great deal of time and effort encouraging a friend’s son to develop a collection, even gifting him coins when he’s found them.
A truly deserving winner – well done!
Runner-up
Grace Potter
Grace has been nominated in our Change Checker Community for being a helpful and kind member. She has been praised for swapping not only coins, but also her knowledge, helping other members become more experienced in the hobby!
Congratulations!
Junior Change Checker of the Year
Winner
Oscar Harding
Oscar has become a passionate collector, with a wealth of knowledge on circulating coinage (from mintages to designers!) He’s particularly interested in collecting 50p coins, with his heart set on the Kew Gardens, something we can all relate to! His younger sister has now been introduced to the hobby, with the help of her brother, Oscar.
Congratulations!
Runner-up
Harry Halser
Harry has gone above and beyond in the community this year, checking his change at every opportunity and asking other family members to keep an eye out for him. He’s new to the hobby but is passionate, driven, and excited about the coins he has found in his change – all the qualities needed to be a super coin collector!
Well done!
A huge congratulations to our winners and runners up! Keep up the great work. Your prizes are on their way to you!
Matt, a panel member at AllAboutCoins said:
“Once again change checkers around the country have gone above and beyond to find the rarest coins and improve their collections, despite the funny old year we have experienced. What is most impressive about the winners is their clear passion to learn; collecting coins is not just about obtaining the designs themselves, it’s about discovering the stories behind the coins, the reasons they have been issued, and finding out who created these mini masterpieces. Congratulations to both the winners and runners-up and be sure to keep building your knowledge as well as your collection!”
Coin Design of the Year
It comes as no surprise that the 2021 Coin Design of the Year is awarded to the Decimal Day 50p!
The coin has been one of the biggest talking points of the year in the collecting community. We saw two versions of this 50p commemorating the 50th anniversary of our UK coinage turning decimal.
The first version of the Decimal Day 50p, available exclusively in the 2021 Annual Coin Set, features the original Arnold Machin portrait of Her Majesty The Queen on the obverse – the same obverse used for the UK’s very first decimal coins.
However, the individual coin which was released later in January, featured Jody Clark’s fifth portrait of The Queen instead.
If you want to find out why The Royal Mint reverted back to the Queen’s first decimal effigy for this new issue, click here >>
Which version of the 2021 UK Decimal Day 50p do you have in your collection? Let us know in the comment below!
Coin Story of the Year
The winning article in the Coin Story of the Year category, goes to second-time winner George Nixon of This Is Money!
His article, which you can read here, covers the story of Decimalisation, from the brand new 50p issued to mark the 50th anniversary of Decimal Day, to the rarest decimal coins currently in circulation.
Speaking to Change Checker, George said: “Becoming the first person to win back-to-back Coin Story of the Year awards is a real privilege. While I’ve hung up the coin cape with my move to The Times, it’s great to see This is Money once again recognised for the consistent excellence of its coin coverage.”
A big thank you once again to AllAboutCoins for supporting us this year and of course a huge congratulations to all of our winners and all the fantastic entries we had this year.
We’d like to thank each and every one of you for your continued support in 2021 and hope that 2022 is a fantastic year of Change Checking for you all!
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NATIONAL SNOWMAN™ 50p for 50p BALLOT ANNOUNCED!
With JUST 50 days to go until Christmas, Change Checker HQ is feeling particularly merry…
So, to welcome in the festive period and to celebrate the issue of the brand new 2021 UK Snowman™ 50p, we’re excited to announce that a brand new National UK 50p for 50p Ballot has just launched.
Your chance to own the 2021 UK Snowman 50p for just 50p
We’re giving 2,021 lucky collectors the chance of owning the incredibly popular 2021 UK Snowman 50p for its face value – JUST 50p!
This 50p is already proving INCREDIBLY popular with collectors and it’s selling fast…
Previous Snowman 50p coins are extremely sought-after which is why we’re so excited to be giving 2,021 collectors the chance of owning this brand new 50p in Brilliant Uncirculated quality for JUST 50p!
To enter this NATIONAL UK 50p for 50p BALLOT for FREE, simply click here >>
The winners will be contacted via email on the 12th November with details of how to claim your new 50p coin for just 50p.
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.
Don’t miss this chance to be one of the 2,021 lucky collectors to own the 2021 UK The Snowman™ 50p coin in Brilliant Uncirculated quality for JUST 50p. Enter here for free >>
Never miss a future UK coin issue!
Join the Change Checker UK CERTIFIED BU Subscription Service and receive new UK coins sent to your door without the hassle of placing orders on the day of release!
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…
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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.