Coin News
‘Pioneer’ of the historical novel, Sir Walter Scott, commemorated on UK £2 coin…
Scottish novelist, poet, historian, and biographer, Sir Walter Scott, is often considered both the inventor and the greatest practitioner of the historical novel.
Sir Walter Scott’s early work consisted of poetic romances but his earlier books, set in Scotland, demonstrate his knowledge of Scottish history and society. His works were some of the most popular literary pieces of his time.
In the 250th anniversary year of his birth, The Royal Mint issued a £2 coin, commemorating him and his remarkable career.
2021 UK Sir Walter Scott £2
The coin, designed by Stephen Raw, features the text: “SIR WALTER SCOTT NOVELIST HISTORIAN POET” encircled by the inscription “250TH ANNIVERSARY OF HIS BIRTH” and the year date.
Excitingly, this coin also features the edge inscription, “THE WILL TO DO, THE SOUL TO DARE”, a quote from his epic poem, ‘Marmion: A Tale of Flodden Field’.
The 2021 Sir Walter Scott £2 was initially issued as part of the 2021 Annual Coin Set, but was later individually released. As well as in Brilliant Uncirculated quality, Change Checker also offered the Sir Walter Scott £2 in a limited edition display card, limited to just 4,995 worldwide!
Secure the Sir Walter Scott Display Card >>
Sir Walter Scott joins an impressive portfolio of authors, poets, novelists to be commemorated on UK coins. Continue reading to find out more…
2020 William Wordsworth £5
To mark the 250th anniversary of the birth of William Wordsworth, The Royal Mint issued this £5 coin and it was the first time that the famous poet was celebrated on a UK coin.
He is one of the most popular poets to have written in the English language, gaining popularity during the beginning of the English Romantic period in literature.
Designed by David Lawrence, designer of the 2018 and 2019 Britannia, the reverse features lines taken from one of Wordsworth’s most celebrated poems, ‘Tintern Abbey’.
2020 Agatha Christie £2
This £2 coin was issued in 2020 to mark the 100th anniversary of Dame Agatha Christie’s genre-defining murder mysteries.
An author of 66 detective novels and 150 short stories, Agatha Christie has justly earned the title of the ‘Queen of Crime’. Towards the end of her career, she was made a Dame of the British Empire for her contribution to literature.
The reverse design of this coin, by David Lawrence, depicts a jigsaw puzzle with a question mark, representing the mystery behind her stories.
2018 Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein £2
This £2 coin was issued by The Royal Mint to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the publication of Mary Shelley’s famous novel Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus.
Whilst on holiday in Geneva Mary Shelley and her poet friends, including Lord Byron and future Husband Percy Shelley, decided to have a competition to see who could write the best horror story.
Out of this Mary Shelley created Frankenstein, a story about a scientist’s scary act at playing God and creating life. It went on to become one of the best loved gothic novels.
The reverse of this gothic coin was designed by Thomas Doherty and features the words ‘Frankenstein’ in an electric gothic font.
2017 Jane Austen £2
In 2017, to celebrate the life and works of one of Britain’s best-loved authors, The Royal Mint issued this Jane Austen £2.
Jane Austen is one of the best-loved English novelists from the 19th century. Her novels were revolutionary and from her first novel, Sense and Sensibility, readers began a love affair with her fiction that has lasted two centuries.
Designed by Dominique Evans, a portrait of Jane Austen features on the reverse of this coin. It did not enter general circulation and was issued in collector quality only.
2016 Shakespeare £2 coins
William Shakespeare is the most influential literary figure in British history and his works are an important part of Britain’s cultural heritage.
In 2016, a series of three £2 coins were issued to mark the 400th anniversary since his death and to celebrate his greatest works.
Each coin’s design takes inspiration from some of Shakespeare’s greatest works, including Macbeth (pictured central), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (far right) and his most-famous love tragedy, Romeo and Juliet (pictured left).
All three coins entered circulation but the Comedy £2 has the lowest circulating mintage – just 4,355,000!
2016 Beatrix Potter 50p
To celebrate the 150th anniversary of the birth of Beatrix Potter, the Royal Mint have released this 50p to celebrate Beatrix herself.
Designed by Emma Noble, the coin includes elements that celebrate Beatrix as the artist behind some of the best-loved characters in children’s literature along with the nostalgic font used for the inscription.
This coin entered general circulation and has a mintage of 6,900,000.
Secure the 2021 UK Sir Walter Scott £2 for your collection!
Secure the 2021 UK Sir Walter Scott £2 in Brilliant Uncirculated quality >>
‘The Father of Science Fiction’, H. G. Wells, is celebrated on a UK £2 coin…
In the late 1800s, Herbert George Wells created a new breed of novel, pioneering the genre that would later be defined as science fiction.
His creative and forward-thinking novels provide a window to the future and have become famous all over the world, with his audience spanning across generations.
In the year marking the 75th anniversary of his death, a UK £2 coin was issued, featuring a design which pays a fitting tribute to his famous novels, Time Machine, The Invisible Man, and War of the Worlds.
2021 UK H. G. Wells £2
Chris Costello’s design on the coin takes inspiration from these world-famous novels, with a depiction of the Invisible Man and a Martian encircled by clock numerals.
The 2021 H. G. Wells £2 is no longer available from The Royal Mint, but you can still secure it in Brilliant Uncirculated Quality from Change Checker >>
Have you ever seen a four-legged tripod?
Arguably one of the most controversial and talked about coin designs of 2021, the H. G. Wells £2 paid tribute to the Father of Science-Fiction’s best known works and includes a design featuring the Invisible Man as well as a four-legged ‘tripod’.
This unusual design hit the headlines when eagle-eyed collectors picked up on the additional leg featured on the Martian from Well’s famed War of the Worlds when the coin was originally issued in the 2021 Annual Coin Set.
H.G. Wells £2 – Blank ‘Error’
The coin hit the headlines once more for another reason, after another supposed ‘error’ was spotted on the version issued as part of the 2021 Annual Coin Set.
With the clue in the name, a bi-metallic coin is usually made up of a combination of a silver coloured cupro-nickel disc and an outer yellow nickel-brass ring. However, in the case of this H.G. Wells £2 coin, it appears that the blank used has a thicker yellow ring, much wider than what we’d see on normal £2 coins.
When striking £2 coins, the first step is to punch a hole through a blank planchet to create the outer section. The inner core is taken from a different metal, sized to fit inside the outer ring.
There have been estimations that if this coin was to be sold at auction, it could fetch over £1,000! Errors and mis-strikes like this certainly makes for interesting collecting!
The Father of Science Fiction
After the publication of his first novel, The Time Machine, in 1895, H. G. Wells became an overnight sensation. He began to write a series of science fiction novels that would define him as a truly original writer.
The War of the Worlds (1898) and The Invisible Man (1897) joined The Time Machine as H. G. Wells most celebrated and well-known novels .
Wells was described by his contemporaries as undeviating and fearless in his efforts for social equality, world peace, and what he considered to be the future good of humanity.
Add the 2021 UK H. G. Wells £2 to your collection today!
The 2021 UK H. G. Wells £2 is no longer available from The Royal Mint, but you can still secure it in Brilliant Uncirculated quality from Change Checker >>
This coin was even issued in a limited edition display card, limited to just 4,995 worldwide! Secure yours >>
Lewis Carroll’s ‘Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland’ celebrated on official UK £5 coins!
“When I used to read fairy-tales, I fancied that kind of thing never happened, and now here I am in the middle of one!”
Alice, from Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll.
We feel like we’re in the middle of a fairy-tale too, Alice, as in 2021 The Royal issued two £5 coins which left us feeling curiouser and curiouser!
Lewis Carroll’s tales of a girl’s discovery of a wacky world of impossibilities have become arguably some of the best known stories in the world.
Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland was first published in 1865 and was so popular that its sequel, Through the Looking-Glass followed closely in 1871.
With their fantastical tales and riddles, Carroll’s stories became some of the most popular works of English-language fiction, with their popularity spanning across generations.
In 2021, to celebrate over 150 years of madness, curiosity, and dreams, The Royal Mint issued two BRAND NEW £5 coins, featuring Sir John Tenniel’s original illustrations from Carroll’s original tales.
2021 UK Through the Looking-Glass £5
The second coin to be issued in the collection features an image of Alice, Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum, and eagle-eyed collectors and literature fans alike may also spot the umbrella that the twins bustle around with in their first meeting with Alice.
This £5 coin celebrates the sequel to Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Through the Looking-Glass, with Ffion Gwillim’s design once again taking inspiration from the original illustrations.
2021 UK Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland £5
The first coin to be issued by The Royal Mint features John Tenniel’s original illustrations from Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland – the first book in the series.
Alice and one of the most mischievous characters from the book, the Cheshire Cat, can be seen on the reverse design of this coin, by Ffion Gwillim, with the title of the world-famous story to the right.
Excitingly for collectors, this was the VERY FIRST TIME that this timeless tale has been commemorated on a UK coin, which has left literature fans and collectors grinning like the Cheshire Cat himself.
This £5 coin is available to order in Brilliant Uncirculated quality for JUST £10.99 (+p&p) in Official Change Checker packaging. To secure yours simply click here >>
Both of your coins have been struck to a superior Brilliant Uncirculated quality and come protectively encapsulated in Official Change Checker packaging with that all-important hologram to guarantee its superior quality.
Secure both of these coins for your collection here >>
Character themed coins are some of the most popular issues of recent years, so i’m sure fans of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and coin collectors alike are sure to be quick to add this coin to their collections!
Here are some of our favourite character themed £5 coins released in recent years…
2021 UK Mr. Men and Little Miss £5 Series
For 50 years, the Mr. Men and Little Misses have been delighting children and adults alike for generations with their charming, cheeky and, clever antics.
But earlier in 2021, we also saw them delighting the coin collecting world as well, as The Royal Mint revealed a new £5 coin series celebrating the inhabitants of Dillydale.
These £5 coin designs, by Adam Hargreaves, son of author Roger Hargreaves, feature images of Mr. Happy, Mr. Strong and Little Miss Giggles, and Little Miss Sunshine. It was the first time the characters featured on UK coinage and they’ve already proved incredibly popular with collectors!
You can find out more about the series here >>
2021 UK Peter Rabbit £5
The Tale of Peter Rabbit and other Beatrix Potter stories span across generations, with each and every one of us having fond childhood memories of these wonderful characters.
Inspired by the Beatrix Potter’s classics that have enchanted readers of all generations for more than 100 years, in 2021, The Royal Mint issued a new £5 coin.
The reverse design by Ffion Gwillim perfectly captures a heart-warming scene from the original, much-loved Beatrix Potter stories.
Since 2016, Peter Rabbit has encouraged a whole new generation to start collecting – featuring on not just one, but FIVE 50p coins in the Beatrix Potter series. And now the tale continues as Potter’s most famous character is celebrated on a UK £5 coin.
To find out more about this popular issue, head to our blog >>
With an incredibly popular theme, that spends across multiple generations, these brand new £5 coins are proving to be a real hit with collectors! Will you be securing them for your collection? Comment below!
Secure the brand new 2021 UK Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland £5 for your collection!
To secure the 2021 UK Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland £5 for JUST £10.99 (+p&p) for your collection, simply click here >>
Your coin has been struck to a superior Brilliant Uncirculated quality and comes protectively encapsulated in Official Change Checker packaging with that all-important hologram to guarantee its superior quality.