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The 50 Day Countdown to the 50th Anniversary of Decimalisation has BEGUN!
The countdown has begun and in JUST 50 days, our decimal coinage will celebrate its 50th anniversary!
Join in with our celebrations!
To celebrate the anniversary of the biggest change our UK coinage has ever seen, we’ve launched a 50 Day Countdown until the Decimalisation Anniversary!
Every day, for 50 days, we’ll be posting different activities for you to read, watch and get involved in. We’ve got quizzes, giveaways and so much more planned, so make sure you’ve got your eyes peeled across all of our channels so that you can get involved!
The 50th anniversary of Decimal Day marks a significant change in our UK currency which changed the day to day lives of every British Citizen in the United Kingdom.
It was the subject of passionate debate for centuries, so during our 50 Day Countdown, we’ll be taking a closer look at the history and story behind the decimal changeover. To test your knowledge, we’ll even have some quizzes for you to get involved with!
So, will you be joining us on our Countdown?
Make sure you’ve subscribed to the Change Checker Podcast, our Youtube channel and you’ve followed us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter to make sure you don’t miss out on some of the exciting prizes up for grabs!
If you have memories of the changeover, or have any interesting facts about Decimalisation, make sure you’re commenting below!
Secure the 14 coins which were affected by the decimal changeover with the Decimalisation Collector Page!
This collector page includes space to display the 14 coins which were affected by the decimal changeover on ‘D-Day’ in 1971 and makes for the perfect heirloom for any aspiring collector, or for those interested in the heritage of British coins.
Using secure push-fit blisters to display each coin in the collection, your collector page is also designed to fit neatly inside the Change Checker Album.
Secure yours for JUST £30.00 (+p&p) when you click here >>
2021 Winnie the Pooh and Friends – What we know so far…
What exciting news we’ve received just before Christmas – the next three coins in the Winnie the Pooh 50p series have been confirmed!
As of the Royal Proclamation on 18th December 2021, it has been announced that three more friends from Hundred Acre Wood will be joining Winnie the Pooh on the nation’s best-loved coin.
The Royal Mint have confirmed that the upcoming coins will feature:
- Winnie the Pooh and friends
- Tigger
- Owl
Whilst the designs of these coins remain top secret, we’re sure they’re going to be just as adorable as the 2020 Winnie the Pooh 50ps. We can’t wait to see them!
2020 Winnie the Pooh 50p Series
Given the HUGE popularity of last year’s series, these new 50p coins are SURE to be a hit with collectors!
If you want to get ahead of the crowd and be one of the very first collectors to receive the latest UK new issue coins as soon as possible after their release, you can do so with the Change Checker CERTIFIED BU Subscription.
Make sure you don’t miss out on securing these coins for your collection as soon as they’re released!
Which character are you most excited about seeing in this brand new 50p series? Let us know in the comments below!
Music Legends £5 series rocks the nation!
Everyone has different tastes in music, but there are some artists you just can’t deny are true Music Legends, and The Royal Mint are celebrating these icons on a series on UK £5 coins!
2024 George Michael £5
The latest Music Legends £5 has just been released, and I Knew You Were Waiting for this one! George Michael is the latest Music Legend to feature on a UK £5, and this Amazing new release also coincides with the 40th anniversary of his first solo song, Careless Whisper.
One of the best-selling musicians of all time, It’s estimated that George Michael sold over 125 million records worldwide during his career – with smash hits such as Faith, Freedom! ‘90 and Fastlove.
The 2024 UK George Michael £5 features an instantly recognisable image of the star in his ‘Faith’ era, complete with his trademark sunglasses.
Your George Michael £5 coin has been struck to superior Brilliant Uncirculated quality and comes presented in official Change Checker packaging to be preserved for generations to come.
Don’t Let The Sun Go Down on your chance to add the George Michael £5 to your collection, click here to secure yours >>
2023 The Police £5
Dubbed ‘the biggest band in the world’ by Rolling Stone magazine in 1983, The Police were one of the definitive rock groups of the 1970s and 80s. To celebrate 40 years since their final album Synchronicity, the band features on the latest Music Legends £5 coin!
The English rock band, fronted by lead vocalist Sting, have never before been featured on a UK coin, and with a massive 75 million record sales under their belt, it’s only fitting that they’ve been celebrated on the latest Music Legends £5 coin.
Inspired by The Classics
The reverse design takes inspiration from both the Synchronicity album cover and the Every Breath You Take: The Classics cover art.
The 2023 UK Police £5 is only the second coin in The Royal Mint’s Music Legends series to feature King Charles III on the obverse, continuing this exciting dual-monarch series of £5 coins.
Don’t miss out on adding The Police £5 to your collection, click here to secure yours >>
2023 Dame Shirley Bassey £5
Without a doubt, Dame Shirley Bassey is one of the most iconic British vocalists of the 20th Century, so it’s only fitting that she features on the latest coin in The Royal Mint’s Music Legends series. The brand new 2023 UK Dame Shirley Bassey £5 coin celebrates 70 years of the Dame’s incredible legacy in show business.
Spot the hidden details
Designer Sue Aperghis has really captured the essence of Dame Shirley Bassey’s incredible talent and style with a design featuring her silhouette and name in lights, and a Welsh dragon to represent her birthplace. There are also a few hidden details…
Bassey is perhaps best known for featuring on the soundtracks of three James Bond theme songs, Diamonds are Forever, Moonraker and Goldfinger. The names of all three Bond tracks feature within the design, but can you find them all?
The 2023 Dame Shirley Bassey £5 is the first coin in the Music Legends series to feature King Charles III on the obverse. All 4 of the previous Music Legends coins have featured Queen Elizabeth II’s effigy on the obverse, making it one of the first dual portrait UK commemorative £5 series.
Don’t miss out on adding the 2023 UK Dame Shirley Bassey £5 to your collection, secure yours here >>
2022 The Rolling Stones £5
*No longer available at the Mint*
This Music Legends coin celebrates 60 years of iconic rock band, The Rolling Stones!
The design shows the band in concert, with their name above them and dates ‘62-‘22 at the bottom, representing the anniversary.
In 2021, The Rolling Stones became the highest earning live act of the year, as announced by Rolling Stone magazine – this isn’t surprising when you consider their huge fanbase across the world!
On the obverse, you’ll spot Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II‘s portrait, but did you know that this was one of the last £5 coins to feature The Queen before the introduction of King Charles III’s coin portrait?
Add the 2022 The Rolling Stones £5 to your collection >>
2021 The Who £5
*No longer available at the Mint*
The fourth Music Legends to feature in this £5 coin series was British group, The Who. The Who were amongst the most popular and influential bands of the 1960s and ’70s. Key to defining the mod genre and originating the ‘rock opera’ both in Britain and worldwide, The Who are without a doubt, true Music Legends.
The 2021 The Who £5 was designed by artist, Henry Gray to include a Union flag, mod logo and Rickenbacker guitar within a Tommy inspired pinball table, this superb coin acts as a nod to some of the band’s most famous creations.
Mod-Rock Legends
Among the most popular and influential bands of the 1960s and ’70s, The Who were key to defining the mod genre and originated the ‘rock opera’ both in Britain and worldwide. Despite having an early influence from the American Rhythm and Blues genre, The Who’s move towards a new style of British rock allowed them to reject any form of pretension when dealing with teenage frustrations.
The Who’s undeniable popularity, which spans across generations, has granted them numerous awards and they even reached the Grammy Hall of Fame for their single ‘My Generation’ and the albums ‘Tommy’ and ‘Who’s Next’.
Click here to secure The Who £5 for your collection >>
2020 UK David Bowie £5
*No longer available at the Mint*
The third coin in the Music Legend series celebrates the icon that is David Bowie.
The coin, by Jody Clark, features a design which pays tribute to Bowie’s Aladdin Sane era. It depicts the music legend transitioning between his various personas, set against his iconic ‘BOWIE’ font and the world-famous lightning bolt that Bowie sported as his alter ego, Ziggy Stardust.
Encapsulating everything Bowie stood for; transformation, non-conformism, and vibrancy, this £5 coin pays the perfect tribute to one of the UK’s biggest Music Legends of all time.
Bowie’s songs depicted the ups and downs being an outsider: an alien, a misfit, or even a faraway astronaut! His music appealed to all, with a blend of rock, cabaret, jazz and soul. It was this eclectic mix of style and honest charm that defined him as one of the greatest music legends of the 20th century.
During Bowie’s vibrant career, he released 27 studio albums, 128 singles, and 72 music videos. Some of his most famous works include Space Oddity (1969), Life on Mars? (1971), Heroes (1977), and Ashes to Ashes (1980).
Sadly, in 2016 David Bowie passed away just two days after his birthday, leaving behind a legacy of nonconformist music and style.
And, in 2020 his legacy lives on, with the release of the David Bowie £5 >>
2020 UK Elton John £5
*No longer available at the Mint*
The second coin in the Music Legends series celebrated Sir Elton John, who has been delighting his fans for more than half a century.
Since his very first self-titled album in 1970, Elton John has sold in excess of 300 million records worldwide. Some of his chart-topping hits include, ‘Can You Feel the Love Tonight?’, ‘Don’t Go Breaking My Heart’, ‘Candle in the Wind’, and ‘I’m Still Standing’.
He also found success on Broadway, composing for Billy Elliot (2008), which went on to win 10 Tony Awards. As recognition of his contribution to music, Sir Elton John was knighted in 1998 and in 2020 he was celebrated on a £5 for the first time.
The reverse design of this £5 coin, by Bradley Morgan Johnson, represents John’s ‘I’m Still Standing’ era. Speaking of the design, Johnson said, “I’m Still Standing was one of [his] favourite childhood pop tracks” and you can definitely see the influence this song had on the design of this coin.
The best thing about this coin, is that Sir Elton John himself approved the design! By owning this coin, you really are in possession of some huge music legend memorabilia.
To secure the 2020 Elton John £5 for your collection, click here >>
2020 Queen £5 Coin
*No longer available at the Mint*
The very first £5 coin in the Music Legends series paid tribute to one of Britain’s most iconic and influential bands – Queen.
Formed in London in 1970, Queen instantly rocked the nation and became a British icon, creating unique and timeless songs which are still loved to this day. As of 2005, Queen’s albums have spent the equivalent of 26 years in the UK Album Charts! (According to the Guinness Book of World Records).
The design of this £5 coin by Chris Facey, showcases the iconic instruments of all four founder members of the band: Brian May’s Red Special guitar, John Deacon’s Fender Precision Bass™, Roger Taylor’s Ludwig™ bass drum, and Freddy Mercury’s Bechstein™ grand piano.
The Queen £5 is full of ‘firsts’, such as…
- The first-time ever that Queen have featured on a coin worldwide
- The first-time ever a British band has been celebrated on UK coinage
- The first coin to be issued in the new series celebrating British Music Legends.
What’s more, band members Brian May and Roger Taylor have officially approved the design of this coin!
To add the 2020 UK Queen £5 to your collection, click here >>
Who is your favourite Music Legend?
We’d love to know which coin in this Music Legends £5 series is your favourite so far, so let us know in the comments below!
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