Coin News
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 >>
What are the ‘Royal Tudor Beasts’ and why do they feature on UK £5 coins?
Following on from the huge popularity of the Queen’s Beasts £5 series, a new series of £5 coins was revealed. The Royal Tudor Beasts series will take you back to the time of King Henry VIII and the mighty Tudor dynasty!
Ten heraldic beasts have stood guard, still, and silent on the Moat Bridge of Hampton Court Palace for hundreds of years, representing the royal lineage of King Henry VIII and Jane Seymour. And it’s these intriguing beasts that feature on the coin in the Royal Tudor Beasts £5 series…
2025 UK The Queen’s Panther £5
The Royal Tudor Beasts series continues with the 2025 UK The Queen’s Panther £5. The Queen’s Panther is one of 10 King’s Beasts flanking the moat bridge, and one of the last beasts visitors encounter before entering Hampton Court Palace.
David Lawrence’s intricate design depicts the cunning panther in its traditional “incensed” form, with flames flaring from its mouth and ears to symbolise its fragrant and supposedly enticing breath.
Unlike the Seymour Panther, the Queen’s Panther holds a shield bearing the Royal coat of arms of King Henry VIII split by the coat of arms of the House of Seymour, symbolising the powerful union between King Henry VIII and his wife, Jane Seymour.
2024 UK Tudor Dragon £5
The series continued with the 2024 UK Tudor Dragon £5. The Tudor Dragon is one of the last of the 10 King’s Beasts you’ll pass on the moat bridge before entering Hampton Court Palace.
The dragon represents the Welsh lineage of the Tudor dynasty, and has been associated with Wales for centuries since it was adopted by Henry VIII. The red dragon even features on the Welsh flag to this day.
Sculptor David Lawrence aimed to portray all of the heraldic beasts in the Tudor Beasts series in a natural and realistic way. He worked in collaboration with the experts at Historic Royal Palaces on his design, which shows the Tudor Dragon in all its majestic glory, holding a shield emblazoned with the Beaufort Portcullis badge.
Secure your 2024 UK Tudor Dragon £5 in CERTIFIED Brilliant Uncirculated quality for just £13.99 >>
2024 UK Seymour Unicorn £5
The Seymour Unicorn, believed to be the strongest of all creatures, is one of ten magnificent King’s Beasts sculptures you’ll find if you visit Hampton Court Palace.
The reverse design features an exquisite engraving of the Seymour Unicorn in all its majestic glory by sculptor, David Lawrence. It was also only the second coin in the Tudor Beasts series to feature King Charles III on the obverse.
Before it was chosen by Henry VIII to flank the Moat Bridge of Hampton Court Palace, the unicorn was rarely used as a royal heraldic beast. The monarch’s decision to choose the unicorn may have been motivated by his desperation to have a son with his third wife, Jane Seymour, as the unicorn is thought to represent purity and fertility.
Secure your 2024 UK Seymour Unicorn £5 in CERTIFIED Brilliant Uncirculated quality for just £13.99(+p&p) >>
2023 UK Bull of Clarence £5
The Bull of Clarence joined The Royal Mint’s Tudor Beasts Collection, representing bravery and wealth!
Excitingly, this was the FIRST coin in the series to feature King Charles III’s effigy! The first three coins in the series have featured Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s portrait, making it one of just a few duel-portrait series!
Looking back at British history, the Bull of Clarence was particularly popular with royals. It was once used by the first Duke of Clarence as a Yorkist badge, and then later by Henry VIII!
Like the other seven beasts, a statue of the Royal Bull resides outside Hampton Court Palace. But, the Tudor beasts once found home in Henry VIII’s Privy Garden at the palace, used to emphasise his legitimacy as a king!
Secure the 2023 UK Bull of Clarence £5 in Brilliant Uncirculated quality >>
2023 UK Yale of Beaufort £5
**No longer available at The Mint**
Issued as one of only two UK £5 coins dated 2023 to feature the Queen’s portrait, this coin is now off sale at the mint and set to become increasingly sought-after…
As you cross the Moat Bridge of Hampton Court Palace, you’ll see the peculiar statue of the Yale of Beaufort, Arms of Jane Seymour in its possession. It’s said that Henry VIII gave this beast to his new wife – and what a gift it was!
With a mixture of antelope, lion and boar-like features, it is certainly a sight to behold, but especially so on the UK £5 coin designed by David Lawrence. The design surely captures the power associated with the Beaufort family, who Seymour had familial ties with through her brother, Edward.
Secure your 2023 UK Yale of Beaufort £5 here >>
2022 UK Lion of England £5
**No longer available at The Mint**
One of the first beasts to greet you on the Moat Bridge of Hampton Court Palace, the crowned Lion of England supports a shield bearing the combination of two coats of arms – of Henry VIII and Jane Seymour.
A brave and ferocious lion has featured on the shield of England for as long as it has existed. Representing English courage, strength, dignity, and pride, this beast remains an iconic heraldic symbol to this very day.
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Designed by David Lawrence, this £5 coin shows the crowned Lion in a powerful stance. Its lips are curled, exposing the ferocious grimace of teeth, and its claws clasp tightly around the shield of arms it stands to protect.
This coin is no longer available at The Royal Mint, but you can order your 2022 UK Lion of England £5 coin for JUST £24.99 (+p&p) today by clicking here >>
2022 UK Seymour Panther £5
**No longer available at The Mint**
The Seymour Panther was gifted to Jane Seymour by King Henry VIII from the royal treasury of beasts. It is one of the ten magnificent King’s Beasts sculptures you’ll find if you visit Hampton Court Palace.
The exquisite reverse design of this £5 coin, by David Lawrence, depicts the panther in all its glory, with flames coming out of its mouth and ears. Known for its intoxicating breath, the Seymour Panther represents the union between the mighty King Henry VIII and his wife, Jane Seymour.
This coin was the very first issue in The Royal Mint’s Tudor Beasts Collection, and it is no longer available from The Royal Mint. You can order your 2022 UK Seymour Panther £5 coin for £24.99 (+p&p) today by clicking here >>
The heraldic beasts of the Tudor dynasty
Over 400 years ago, Henry VIII commissioned the sculpting of 10 heraldic animal statues. They were produced to represent the ancestry of King Henry VIII and his third wife Jane Seymour.
These became known as “The King’s Beasts” and can still be seen to this day, guarding the main entrance to Hampton Court Palace. One of the responsibilities of the beasts is to support various shields which themselves have symbols known as badges.
King Henry VIII had numerous beasts decorating Hampton Court where the Queen’s own beasts now reside. The Tudor Beasts are: the Lion of England, the Royal Dragon, the Tudor Dragon, the Black Bull of Clarence, the Yale of Beaufort, the White Lion of Mortimer, the White Greyhound of Richmond, the Seymour Lion, the Seymour Panther and the Seymour Unicorn.
The Queen’s ten beasts were modeled after these creatures and guarded her coronation in 1952. Woodford, the sculptor instructed to produce these ten new statues, did not produce exact replicas to those of Henry VIII’s beasts, as these would have had little connection with Her Majesty’s own family or ancestry.
Now that you know about the history of the Tudor creatures, which beast are you excited to see featured on our £5 coin? Let us know in the comments below!
Continue your Royal Tudor Beasts £5 Collection
Secure the 2025 UK The Queen’s Panther £5 for your collection today >>