Coin News
Giants of the Jurassic – The 2021 Mary Anning 50p Collection!
Are you ready to discover the mighty beasts of the sea and sky?
In 2021, The Royal Mint have revealed new 50p series celebrating Mary Anning and her fossil discoveries on the Jurassic coast.
Dimorphodon 50p
The final coin in the series features a design of the Dimorphodon. The Dimorphodon was a primitive flying reptile that coexisted during the age of the dinosaurs and was first discovered by Mary Anning in Dorset.
Whilst the Dimorphodon’s 1.7m wing-span is impressive, what makes this Jurassic Giant so unique, is that its name literally translates to ‘two-form tooth’. This is due to the Dimorphodon having several large pointed teeth in the front of its jaws and much smaller ones set in the back.
The design on this coin shows both of these features in perfect detail, with the creature’s wings spanning across nearly the entire diameter of the coin and its sharp teeth in clear view.
Plesiosaurus 50p
The second coin in the series celebrates one of the Jurassic Coast’s greatest marine reptiles, the Plesiosaurus.
The Plesiosaurus was about 4.5 metres in length and is estimated to have weighed about 45 tonnes – that’s about 7 elephants! But what makes this Jurassic Giant so unique, is the power of its bite! It’s estimated that the Plesiosaurus had the largest bite force of any known animal and with teeth as sharp as needles, there’s no doubt this reptile dominated the oceans!
If you look closely, you can even see this Jurassic Giant’s teeth in the design of this 50p coin!
The 2021 UK Plesiosaurus 50p is no longer available from The Royal Mint, but you can secure it in Change Checker packaging for just £12.99 (+p&p) >>
Temnodontosaurus 50p
The first coin in the series celebrated Mary Anning’s very first ichthyosaur, the Temnodontosaurus.
The ‘cutting tooth lizard’ (as it’s otherwise known) is one of the largest ichthyosaurs to have been discovered by Mary Anning in Lyme Regis, Dorset.
This apex marine predator hunted in the deep ocean millions of years ago, but now this prehistoric beast has been brought to life once more – its likeness captured in exquisite detail on this 50p.
The 2021 UK Temnodontosaurus 50p is no longer available from The Royal Mint, but you can secure it in Change Checker packaging for just £12.99 (+p&p) >>
The Unsung Hero of Fossil Discovery
Mary Anning is remembered as being one of the greatest fossil hunters and paleontologists to have ever lived.
At the start of her career, she claimed her excavations were merely to explore her ‘curiosities’. Later, she was to discover remains of some of the greatest creatures to have ever swam in our shores and soared in our skies.
Famous in her home town of Lyme Regis, Dorset, Anning’s work left a legacy of fossil hunting, paleontology and science.
Dinosaur fans and historians alike, still flock to the seaside town in their thousands every year to learn more about her discoveries and to try and unearth their very own creatures in the sand and rocks!
Sought-after Series
This collection followed in the gigantic footsteps of the 2020 Dinosauria 50p series, which brought us the Megalosaurus, Iguanodon, and Hylaeosaurus 50p coins.
These coins were a definite numismatic highlight of 2020, with collectors quickly snapping up these dino-mite coins for their own collections. This was the FIRST-TIME ever that Dinosaurs featured on a UK coin and the theme continued in 2021 with three prehistoric creatures being celebrated on coins.
Each coin in the collection was been designed by renowned British paleo-artist Robert Nicholls with the expert guidance of Sandra Chapman of the Earth Sciences Department of the Natural History Museum.
Let us know in the comments which Mary Anning 50p is your favourite from the collection!
Secure the 2021 Mary Anning 50p Set
You can order the complete set of three 2021 UK Mary Anning 50p coins here >>
50 Years of Mr. Men and Little Miss™ celebrated with brand new £5 coin 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 now, in 2021 we see them delighting the coin collecting world as well, as The Royal Mint has revealed a new £5 coin series celebrating the inhabitants of Dillydale.
2021 UK Little Miss Sunshine £5
The final coin in this wonderful series has JUST been issued and it features a design of one of the happiest and kindest characters in all of Dillydale, Little Miss Sunshine.
Adam Hargreaves’ design of the Little Miss Sunshine £5 features the cheerful character in the forefront, with the charming meadows of the dale behind.
This coin is available in Brilliant Uncirculated quality for JUST £10.99 (+p&p) in official Change Checker packaging when you click here >>
What’s more, you can also secure the other coins in the Mr. Men™ and Little Miss™ collection below:
- To secure the 2021 UK Mr Happy £5 for your collection, simply click here >>
- To secure the 2021 UK Mr Strong and Little Miss Giggles £5 for your collection, simply click here >>
2021 UK Mr. Strong and Little Miss Giggles £5
The second coin in this wonderful series features the strongest person in all the land and the Little Miss who can’t stop giggling!
Adam Hargreaves’ design of the Mr Strong and Little Miss Giggles™ £5 features these famous characters set against the meadows of Dillydale.
Excitingly, this is only coin in the Mr. Men and Little Miss series to feature more than one character on its design!
This coin is available to order in Brilliant Uncirculated quality for JUST £10.99 (+p&p) when you click here >>
2021 UK Mr. Happy™ £5
The very first coin in this series features none other than Mr. Happy himself!
Adam Hargreaves’ design of this £5 coin features the instantly recognisable and much-loved Mr Happy at the centre.
Excitingly for collectors, this is the first time Mr. Happy has featured on a UK coin and we think he’s made a very grand entrance!
This coin is available to order in Brilliant Uncirculated quality for JUST £10.99 (+p&p). Simply click here >>
50 Years of Fun
Charles Roger Hargreaves was an english author and illustrator, best known for his creation of the world-famous Mr. Men and Little Miss stories.
The Mr. Men and Little Miss books first originated with Mr Tickle. Hargreaves son asked him what a tickle looked like, so he drew a round orange man with long arms that could reach anywhere!
Mr Tickle was such a success with his son and the general public, that Hargreaves went on to create a whole world of Mr Men and Little Miss characters.
As of 2015, there have been 30 books, with over 85 Mr. Men and Little Miss characters featuring and now, they feature on a UK coin series for the very first time.
Following the popularity of previous children’s literature themed coins, we’re expecting these coins to be a huge hit with collectors!
Let’s take a closer look at previous UK coins that have celebrated children’s literature…
Beatrix Potter 50p Series
In 2016 a new series of 50p coins were confirmed celebrating renowned children’s author Beatrix Potter.
From Peter Rabbit, to the Tailor of Gloucester we’ve seen some of Potter’s most-loved characters feature on our 50p coin. These coins truly did spark a whole new interest in collecting, that spanned across generations.
In fact, these coins were so popular that we saw the main man himself, Peter Rabbit, feature in the series FIVE times – a testament to the nation’s love of this cheeky little bunny.
Whilst some of these coins are no longer available from The Royal Mint, you can still get your hands on some of them from Change Checker. Simply click here to find out more >>
Paddington 50p Coins
In 2018, a brand new series of 50p coins were issued to celebrate the 60th anniversary of Paddington’s first appearance in Michael Bond’s story, ‘A Bear Called Paddington’.
The first two coins in the series featured Paddington at the Station and Paddington at the Palace. Later, in 2019, Paddington returned this time at the Tower of London and St. Paul’s Cathedral.
These coins have proved so popular with collectors since their initial release and have been the talking point of recent years. Change Checker has a range of collecting packs and products for you to store your coins in when you find them in your change! Find out more here >>
The Gruffalo 50p Coins
In 2019, two Gruffalo 50p coins were issued to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Julia Donalson’s much-loved children’s tale.
The first coin to be released, featuring an image of the Gruffalo, with his famous horns and teeth at the centre, was so popular that the silver-proof version sold out in less than 12 hours!
Later in the year, The Gruffalo returned, this time with his adorable companion from the tale, Mouse.
If you want to find out more about these incredible 50p coins, you can do so by clicking here >>
We love these brand new Mr. Men and Little Miss £5 coins! Will you be securing them for your collection? Let us know in the comments below!
Own the Complete 2021 UK Mr. Men™ and Little Miss™ £5 Collection today!
Each coin has been struck to a superior Brilliant Uncirculated finish and protectively encapsulated in official Change Checker packaging to preserve them for generations to come.
To order your complete 2021 UK Mr. Men™ and Little Miss™ £5 Collection, for just £32.50 (+p&p), click here >>
The 50th Anniversary of Decimal Day 50p
On February 15th 1971, the UK’s currency went decimal and this enormous change to UK coinage called for one of the biggest publicity campaigns our nation had ever seen!
To celebrate the 50th anniversary of ‘Decimal Day’, The Royal Mint released a UK 50p.
This Decimal Day 50p, designed by Dominique Evans, features overlapping pre-decimal coins in an ode to Decimal Day, with the date ‘1971’ at the centre of the design.
Over the years, the 50p has become the most-collected and best-loved decimal coin in the UK. We’ve seen some amazing coins issued since Decimalisation. In this blog, we take a closer look at some of Change Checker’s favourites.
2019 50th Anniversary of the 50p Coin
2019 marked a milestone moment for coin collectors as the world’s first seven-sided coin celebrated its 50th anniversary. To celebrate the anniversary, The Royal Mint issued this 50p.
This coin was designed by The Royal Mint design team and is said to ‘pay tribute to the science that gave us the world’s first seven-sided coin’.
Featuring Christopher Ironside’s iconic Britannia on the reverse, inscribed with ‘NEW PENCE’ just as the original 1969 coin was, this unique 50p has not one, but two special features:
- An exclusive never-before-seen mint mark; the Spirograph type design has been drawn from an extension of lines forming the 50p shape
- A minting first; on the outer rim of the reverse design, the letters A-G appear on each point and are joined by crossing lines.
The first-ever £2 coin!
In 1986, a brand new UK denomination was introduced in the form of a £2 coin.
Prior to the introduction of the bi-metallic £2 coins in 1998, single-coloured, nickel-brass £2 coins were issued, purely to mark special occasions. Between 1986 and 1996, there were seven different designs of the single-coloured £2 coins.
The 1986 Commonwealth Games £2 coin changed the face of UK commemorative coins, being the first of its denomination to be struck and the first British coin being issued to commemorate a sporting event.
Do you remember the old specification £2 coins? Let us know in the comments below!
The bi-metallic £2 coin!
The new type of £2 coin was introduced in 1997 and featured an innovative bi-metallic design – the first in the history of British coinage.
The concentric circles on this design by Bruce Rushin represent mankind’s technological evolution from the Iron Age at the centre, to the cogs and wheels in the first ring representing the Industrial Revolution.
The next ring symbolises the computer age with a pattern derived from a silicon chip and the final outer ring represents the age of the Internet with a connecting web of lines.
This design was used on definitive £2 coins from 1997 to 2015!
Britain’s Round Pounds
The first UK £1 coin was issued in 1983 to replace the £1 banknote, which only lasted a few months in circulation! The £1 coin quickly became a hit with collectors, with everyone trying to hunt down the different designs.
The first £1 coin design features the Royal Coat of Arms designed by Eric Sewell, a chief engraver at the Royal Mint. It also features the edge Inscription: DECUS ET TUTAMEN.
This coin was issued in 1983, 1993, 2003, 2008 and has a circulating mintage of 623,304,510.
After more than 30 years in the nation’s pockets, the familiar round £1 coin was replaced with an all new, 12-sided £1 coin in 2017 and it lost its legal tender status at midnight on 15 October 2017.
Despite this, some round pounds remain incredibly popular with collectors, due to their designs and their low mintages.
Nations of the Crown £1
The new £1 coin first entered circulation in March 2017 and it features 12 sides.
Billed as the most secure circulating coin in the world, the new £1 has been formally named ‘The Nations of the Crown 2017 UK £1′.
The coin, designed by 15-year-old David Pearce following a public competition in 2015, is made up of the English rose, the Welsh leek, the Scottish thistle and the Northern Irish shamrock emerging from one stem within a royal coronet to represent the four constituent countries of the United Kingdom.
5p and 10p Coins
In 1968 the 10 New Pence coin entered circulation to replace the florin as part of Britain’s conversion to a system of decimal currency.
The public was uncertain about using this new coin to start with, after generations of pounds, shillings and pence, meaning the Decimal Currency Board still needed to reassure suspicious Britons to go decimal.
Our 10p coin has seen three different definitive designs and in 2018 we saw our first-ever commemorative designs, with the release of 26 A-Z of Great Britain 10p coins!
In April 1968, 5p coins were issued as a replacement for shillings in preparation for decimalisation in 1971.
These were released into circulation at the same time as the very first 10p coins.
In 1990 and 1992, the specifications of the 5p and 10p were reduced, respectively. On 27th June 1990 the new 18.00mm 5p was introduced and 30th September 1992, a reduced size version of the 10 pence coin was introduced
Since decimalisation, we’ve seen some incredible definitive and commemorative designs to our UK coins.
Let us know in the comment which definitive design is your favourite!
Secure the 2021 Decimal Day 50p for your collection!
The 2021 Decimal Day 50p is no longer available from The Royal Mint, but you can still get your hands on it in Brilliant Uncirculated quality for just £12.99 (+p&p) >>