Sir Winston Churchill to replace Elizabeth Fry on the new £5 banknote

The Bank of England have confirmed that the new £5 note will be released into circulation in September this year and will feature Sir Winston Churchill, replacing Elizabeth Fry, currently on the £5 note.

The design

The design features the famous portrait of Churchill in 1941 known as the ‘Roaring Lion’ as well as his famous quote “I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears and sweat” which he made on the day he became Prime Minister.

The clock on the Parliament building in the background shows the time as 3 o’clock which is when Sir Winston Churchill made the address to the public.

Just above this is his Nobel Prize in Literature which he was awarded in 1953.

Each aspect of the new banknotes design appropriately captures Churchill and his contribution to the UK.

Plastic money – and it’s not your credit card

For the first time in its 300-year history, the Bank of England will issue polymer banknotes. Polymer is manufactured from a transparent plastic film and will be made from a cleaner and more durable material which can be used to incorporate new security features.

Infographic Polymer Banknotes 2-01

According to the Bank of England, the demand for cash continues to grow and the new polymer banknotes will shape the usage of cash in the future. It has been revealed that a new £10 banknote will be issued in 2017 featuring Jane Austin while a £20 is due for release by 2020 but it is yet to be decided who will feature.

 

Why you won’t be finding any 2016 £1 Coins in your change

If you’re holding out for 2016 to own the final circulating £1 coin you’ll be waiting in vain…

The final batch of round £1 coins intended for circulation have just come off the production line at the Royal Mint.  And the Royal Mint has confirmed that the only 2016 coins will be collector’s version of the £1 coin.

But what about the 2016 design?

Earlier this year the Royal Mint confirmed that 2016 will see the last ‘round pound’, calling time on a coin which was first issued more than thirty years ago.

The 2016 coin will be the 25th design to feature on the £1 coin since it was introduced in 1983 as a replacement for the less robust £1 note.

Last Round £1 Coin

The Last Round £1 Coin will never enter general circulation.

The design, which features four animals representing each of the four constituent UK countries, will not be available in general circulation but is currently available in a brilliant uncirculated collector’s edition.

It is estimated that over 50 million £1 coins in circulation are fake and counterfeits are becoming a closer match, making it extremely difficult to spot the difference. The new 12-sided £1 will be made from 2 different metals and has been billed to become the most secure circulating coin in the world.

To find out more about the new 12-sided coin that will replace the round pound in March 2017 read our previous blog here.

________________________________________________________

Britain’s last round pound

Own the Last ‘Round Pound’ in brilliant uncirculated condition

If you want to get your hands on the 2016 last ‘round pound’ they are available here protectively encapsulated in certified brilliant uncirculated condition

 

Beatrix Potter revealed as the latest theme for 2016

2016 is already set to be an exciting year for Change Checkers with some key commemorative themes in the pipeline. But now the Royal Mint have pulled another rabbit out of their hat…

ST Beatrix Potter 50p Coins Blog Image

Beatrix Potter wrote and illustrated more than 20 children’s books including ‘The Tale of Peter Rabbit’

Peter Rabbit to be precise!

2016 marks the 150th anniversary of the birth of Beatrix Potter, and a Royal Proclamation published on Friday has confirmed that one of Britain’s best-loved authors will be commemorated on two 50p coins next year.

National treasure

Beatrix Potter wrote and illustrated more than 20 children’s books starring characters such as Peter Rabbit, Jemima Puddle-Duck and Benjamin Bunny. Her charming stories have captured the imagination of children for generations and earned her status as a national treasure.

Her inclusion on next year’s coins is sure to be a welcome surprise for Change Checkers, but what can we expect from the designs?

As well as declaring the specification, each Royal Proclamation also gives a description of the design of any new coin. The first, as stated in the London Gazette, will feature:

  • “A silhouette of Beatrix Potter accompanied by an image of Peter Rabbit surrounded by a floral motif with the inscription “BEATRIX POTTER 1866 1943”.
  • The second will use a more simplistic design: “A portrait of Peter Rabbit with the inscription “PETER RABBIT”

A  first for UK coins

Never has a female literary figure been commemorated on a UK coin, so the two new Beatrix Potter 50ps are likely to be in high demand once they finally make it into circulation.

Are you happy to see Beatrix Potter commemorated on our coins next year? Let us know your thoughts via Facebook or Twitter