£5 Coins

Built during the Norman Conquest in 1066, His Majesty’s Royal Palace and fortress of the Tower of London has been used as a prison, jewel house, mint and even a menagerie.

It’s been home to kings and queens, thieves and traitors and lions and bears.

In tribute to the Tower, The Royal Mint issued a four coin series throughout 2019 celebrating the history of the Tower of London, one of Britain’s most iconic attractions. The series included coins depicting the following:

• The Legend of the Ravens
• The Crown Jewels
• The Yeoman Warders
• The Ceremony of the Keys

The collection continued in 2020 with four more £5 coins featuring original designs, each exploring a different element of the Tower of London’s history. The series included coins depicting the following:

• The White Tower
• The Royal Menagerie
• The Royal Mint
• The Infamous Prison

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2020 The White Tower £5

The first £5 coin to be released in the 2020 Tower of London series celebrated the White Tower.

Designed by heraldic artist, Timothy Noad, the reverse of the coin depicts the model of the White Tower, which sits on top of the mace that the Chief Yeoman Warder carries.

Built 1078-1097 under William the Conqueror’s rule, the White Tower is the oldest part of the Tower of London and is the most famous castle keep in the world.

Built to awe, subdue and terrify Londoners, the White Tower’s ramparts, which are 90ft high, would have cast dark shadows over the wooden buildings of medieval London.

In 1674, the skeletons of two children were discovered in the White Tower, during the demolition of a staircase leading to the chapel of St. John. The bones have, for years, been speculated as the remains of the Princes in the Tower, Edward V and his younger brother Richard, Duke of York. Richard III is the name most associated with the mystery of the two little princes. It is believed that he had them killed as their right to the throne was stronger than his… Whilst this mystery is still yet to be solved, one thing’s for definite, this Tower really is a centre-piece of British History.

Now, the White Tower showcases the awe-inspiring historic and world-class Royal Armouries collections, including the royal armours of Henry VIII, Charles I and James II.

Secure the 2020 The White Tower £5 for your collection >>

2020 Royal Menagerie £5

The second coin in the series features the Royal Menagerie. Heraldic artist Timothy Noad’s design features some of the castle’s old inhabitants – lions!

From the 1200s to 1835, the Tower of London housed a menagerie of exotic wild animals, never before seen in London, including Elephants, Lions, and even Polar Bears!

The Royal Menagerie began as a result of medieval monarchs exchanging rare and strange animals as gifts. In 1235, Henry III was presented with three leopards by the Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II, inspiring him to open a zoo at the Tower. However unfortunately, despite many of the animals having brand new houses and dedicated keepers, they did not survive in the cramped conditions.

Therefore, Edward I (1239-1307) created a permanent new home for the Menagerie, known as the Lion Tower, named after the beasts kept there. During this time, visitors to the Tower would have first crossed a drawbridge to the Lion Tower, experiencing the terrifying sounds and smells of the animals.

Today’s world-famous London Zoo in Regent’s Park was founded by the original 150 animals moving from the Tower Menagerie. The animals of the menagerie are commemorated by 13 wire sculptures around the Tower, by artist Kendra Haste.

Add the 2020 Royal Menagerie £5 to your collection >>

2020 Royal Mint £5

The third coin in the series celebrates the Tower’s minting history, with a design dedicated to The Royal Mint.

Wales has long been the location of The Royal Mint, but did you know that before this, it had two previous homes? It was kept secure at Tower Hill for a period of time but before that, it was housed within the walls of the Tower of London for 500 years!

From 1272 until 1810, the Tower of London was home to The Royal Mint. Coins of the realm were produced in a dedicated area in the outer ward, known as ‘Mint Street’. This dangerous task involved working with scorching furnaces, deadly chemicals and poisonous gasses, and many Mint workers suffered injuries including loss of fingers and eyes from the process.

In the 1600s, coins were no longer made by hand, but instead a screw-operated press was introduced. However, risk still befell the Mint workers, as they faced severe punishments should they be caught tampering with or forging coins.

In 1810, the Mint moved from the Tower to a new site at Tower Hill and eventually on to its present location in Wales to allow for expansion.

Secure the 2020 The Royal Mint £5 >>

2020 The Infamous Prison £5

The final coin in The Royal Mint’s 2020 Tower of London £5 series pays tribute to the gruesome history of the Tower’s Infamous Prison.

Heraldic artist Timothy Noad’s design features the inscription ‘MY LIBERTIE DENIED’. These words have been taken from ‘graffiti’ in the Tower which has been attributed to Thomas Miagh, a prisoner at the Tower.

From the late 15th century and during its peak period as a prison in the 16th and 17th centuries, the
Tower housed some of Britain’s most notorious criminals, including Guy Fawkes, Anne Boleyn and even Elizabeth I before she became queen. 

Whilst some wealthy, influential inmates could be held in relative comfort, deprived only of their liberty, other prisoners, such as the three Queens of England were met with a more gruesome fate and were executed by beheading on the Tower Green.

Add the 2020 Infamous Prison £5 to your collection >>

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A secret puzzle

In a nod to the previous Tower of London collection, when all four coins are placed together, a full image of a Norman arched window can be seen, framing the design of each coin.

Which of the 2020 Tower of London coins is your favourite? Let us know in the comments!