Posts Tagged ‘Coins’
Why is Star Wars™ being celebrated on UK coins?
2023 sees the release of the UK’s FIRST EVER Star Wars™ 50ps, and collectors are eager to get their hands on them. The first 50p will feature the lovable duo C-3PO™ and R2-D2™, you can find out all you need to know about these coins here >>
But with Star Wars™ being such a hugely popular global franchise, you might find yourself asking ‘Why is Star Wars™ being celebrated on a UK 50p?’…
Filmed in the UK
Back in 1973 when the idea of Star Wars™ was pitched by then up and coming director George Lucas, many major studios passed on producing the film. Nevertheless, Lucas began working with designers in Kensal Rise, England with no funding to create props and sets. Soon after they began buildings sets at Elstree Studios in Hertfordshire.
Credit: Steve Daniels, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Despite struggling themselves at the time, 20th Century Fox took a chance on Lucas and started production on Star Wars: A New Hope. Filming started in several locations across the world, but returned to Britain where the interior scenes were filmed at Elstree Studios and Shepperton Studios in Surrey. Filming in the UK took 14 and a half weeks in total!
A British cast
Despite Star Wars™ being the brainchild of American director George Lucas, a large percentage of the cast was made up of British actors. Several homegrown actors topped the billings, giving Star Wars™ a very different accent from many other big-budget franchises.
Credit: AP Wirephoto, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
The British accent began to signify the Empire, with actors such as Ian McDiarmid, Christopher Lee and Kenneth Colly all portraying characters from ‘the dark side’. David Prowse’s Norfolk twang never quite made it into Darth Vader’s repertoire, however.
Harrison Ford once told the BBC that working with a British crew was essentially the same as working with Americans, apart from the fact that they “drink more tea”. It wasn’t just tea that was being enjoyed by the cast and crew however as it’s said that they fully immersed themselves into the ‘after work pub visit’ culture.
Returning to the UK
The franchise returned to the UK for the Phantom Menace, which was largely filmed at Leavesden Studios by British cinematographer David Tattersall.
The late Richard Marquand became the first British Star Wars™ director on Return of the Jedi, a baton picked up by Gareth Edwards for Rogue One many years later.
In more recent years, the Sequel trilogy has seen British talent take centre stage, with the likes of Daisy Ridley and John Boyega taking on leading roles.
Credit: George Skidmore, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Don’t miss out
With so many ties to the UK, it’s no wonder the global Star Wars™ franchise is being celebrated on UK coins. Don’t forget to sign up for updates about the new UK Star Wars™ 50ps to make sure you’re one of the first to get yours hands on them!
Sign up for priority updates >>
How much are your coins worth? June 2023 eBay Tracker update!
Good news Change Checkers – your latest eBay Tracker and Valuation Index is here!
Whilst the secondary market can be a bit of a minefield, we’ve put together an easy way for you to see how much the Top 10 UK coins and banknotes are selling for right now.
eBay Tracker
Find out which coins and notes have been the key movers and in our latest eBay Tracker update.
After a spike in selling prices in our last update in January 2023, most likely due to the new King Charles III coins, things are starting to level out again. Although there has been an overall decrease in prices, there are still some noteworthy changes since our previous update.
Olympic Football 50p
The coin that’s seen the biggest increase is the Olympic Football 50p. The Olympic 50ps have long been favourites amongst collectors, but did you know that only 1,125,500 Football fifty pence pieces entered circulation? It’s definitely the rarest Olympic 50p to look out for and tops our chart as having the smallest mintage figure, which means it is even harder to find than the other Olympic 50ps.
With a design explaining the hotly debated offside rule, it definitely sparked discussion among collectors and football fans alike.
Kew Gardens 50p
Released by The Royal Mint in 2009 to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew, the striking design of this 50p, by Christopher Le Brun RA, features the famous Chinese Pagoda at Kew, entwined by a decorative leafy climber.
In 2014, The Royal Mint revealed that only 210,000 Kew Gardens 50p coins had been struck, making it the scarcest UK coin in circulation. And nearly 10 years later, people are still willing to pay hefty sums to get their hands on one. Some have sold on the secondary market for nearly £200!
Valuation Index
Since coins bearing King Charles III’s effigy began circulating, collectors have been keen to complete their Queen Elizabeth II collections.
This is reflected in the coins and bank notes being sold on the secondary market, some still selling for several times their face value.
Undated 20p
Considered by some the holy grail of change collecting, the undated 20p is being snapped up for a pretty penny recently.
These illusive coins have sold on the secondary market for more than 25 times their value! It’s not known how many are in circulation, but most serious collectors have it on their wish lists.
My coin isn’t on the eBay Tracker
The eBay Tracker follows the movements of the Top 10 UK coins and banknotes, however if your coin doesn’t appear on the tracker you can use our 6 point guide to help determine the realistic value for your coin.
How does the eBay Tracker work?
The Change Checker eBay Tracker takes the last 9 sold prices on eBay and gives the median price achieved (rounded to the nearest 50p). By taking the median, rather than an average, we avoid skewing figures with one or two excessive prices.
Please note that the Change Checker eBay Tracker is only ever designed to be a guide as to prices achieved on eBay. Prices may vary depending on collector demand and the quality of the coin being sold. It does not provide any guarantee as to future values of coins.
If you’re interested in coin collecting, our Change Checker web app is completely free to use and allows users to:
– Find and identify the coins in their pocket
– Collect and track the coins they have
– Swap their spare coins with other Change Checkers
Share, learn & swap with the Change Checker Community
Join the only official Change Checker Facebook group today >>
Commemorate 75 years of the Windrush Generation
A new UK 50p coin has just been issued to commemorate 75 years since HMT Empire Windrush docked in Tilbury, Essex!
The design on this new coin is a tribute to the important story of the passengers aboard the Windrush vessel in 1948, featuring two people of the Windrush Generation against a background of the Union flag.
Order your 2023 UK 75 Years of the Windrush Generation CERTIFIED BU 50p >>
In January, the 75 Years of the Windrush Generation 50p made an appearance in the 2023 Annual Coin Set – the first of its kind to feature King Charles III on the obverses!
And today, collectors can own this coin individually for the first time, so make sure you don’t miss out by ordering yours today >>
Struck to a Brilliant Uncirculated quality, the 2023 UK Windrush Generation 50p is available from Change Checker for just £5.99 (+p&p)!
HMT Empire Windrush
On the 22nd June, 1948, the famous ship arrived in the Essex dock after stopping in Trinidad, Jamaica, Mexico, Cuba and Bermuda.
Credit: BBC
Many of those aboard sought work and a new life in their destination, England. This was during a period where the UK faced economic collapse and needed more workers to rebuild the country after the war.
Since the Second World War, the Windrush Generation have helped shape modern British culture and society. To commemorate, Windrush Day is held on the 22nd of June each year – marking the date the ship disembarked.
2023 UK 75 Years of the Windrush Generation CERTIFIED BU 50p
To add this incredible coin to your collection for just £5.99 (+p&p), click here >>