Poll: Which 2016 Coin design is your favourite?

I’m sure you’ll agree that 2016 is shaping up to be a great year for coin collectors with so many significant anniversaries being commemorated and some fantastic designs.

So which coins are you most looking forward to finding in your change?

RHSPMC st, 21/1/05, 1:03 pm, 8C, 2408x2504 (1303+1657), 75%, chrome 7 stops, 1/50 s, R102.0, G63.3, B87.4

The Battle of Hastings 50p

2016 marks the 950th Anniversary of The Battle of Hastings. The reverse of the coin depicts the fate of King Harold at the hands of William The Conqueror, along with the date 1066 – when the battle took place. The obverse features the fifth portrait of Queen Elizabeth II by Jody Clark.

RHSPMC st, 21/1/05, 1:03 pm, 8C, 2408x2504 (1303+1657), 75%, chrome 7 stops, 1/50 s, R102.0, G63.3, B87.4

The Great Fire of London £2

 

The Great Fire is one of the most well-known disasters to hit London, when an accidental spark from a baker’s oven on Pudding Lane led to the destruction of a third of the city. This £2 coin marks the 350th anniversary of this iconic moment from which modern London emerged. The reverse depicts the city of London burning in flames from a distance and was designed by Aaron West.

WW1 £2

The World War One £2 

ST-2016-Shakespeare-coins

The Shakespeare Tragedies, Comedies and Histories £2 Coins

Continuing the 4 year commemoration of the Centenary of the First World War, the third in the series of £2 coins commemorates the ‘Pals Battalions’ and their tragic debut at the Battle of the Somme 100 years ago. The design features a modern interpretation of three ‘Pals’ side by side, inspired by the works of British WWI artist C.R.W. Nevinson.

 

2016 marks 400 years since the death of William Shakespeare. In honour of one of our greatest literary figures, The Royal Mint have issued three brand new £2 coins that honour an aspect of Shakespeare’s famous work including tragedies, comedies and histories.

 

 

The Beatrix Potter 50p Series: Beatrix Potter, Peter Rabbit, Jemima Puddle-Duck, Mrs Tiggy-Winkle and Squirrel Nutkin

 

To celebrate the 150th anniversary of the birth of Beatrix Potter, the Royal Mint have released a series of 50p coins to celebrate the artist behind some of the best-loved characters in children’s literature.  The coins celebrate Beatrix herself as well as some of the animals from her children’s tales.

The 'Team GB' 50p

The ‘Team GB’ 50p

 

To wish Team GB success in Rio de Janeiro this summer, The Royal Mint issued this Team GB 50p coin just last month. The reverse features a swimmer with the Team GB logo, the Olympic rings and the inscription “TEAM GB”.

 

 

Here at Change Checker we can’t wait for these coins to enter into circulation, but with so many great designs to choose from, which of these designs is your favourite?

Vote in our poll here;

22nd June 1816… The day Britain’s coins changed forever

Just over 200 years ago, Britain’s coins changed forever.

The change was as big as Decimalisation, if not bigger. In fact, there were barely any further changes to Britain’s coinage until Decimalisation in 1971.

It’s known as the ‘Great Recoinage’

The ‘Great Recoinage’ was the British government’s attempt to re-stabilise the currency of Great Britain following economic difficulties caused by both the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars.

On the 22nd June 1816, the Coinage Act was passed and was given Royal Assent. Silver coins were reintroduced into circulation, the Guinea was scrapped and the Gold Sovereign returned to become the symbol of Britishness across the Empire.

1820-George-III-Sovereign-MT

An original George III Gold Sovereign

The time when money was really worth something

What’s the money in your pocket really worth? Some paper. A few pieces of steel and copper…

At the time of the ‘Great Recoinage’, coins were worth their weight in gold and silver. The Royal Mint struck nearly 40 million shillings between 1816 and 1820, fixing standards for the coins and their silver content and weight.

The first Silver Coins to enter circulation in 1816

Some of the first Silver Coins to enter circulation in 1816 – the Sixpence, Shilling and Half Crown.

There was also a change in the gold coinage from the guinea valued at 21 shillings to the slightly lighter sovereign worth 20 shillings. However, the value of the shilling remained unchanged at twelve pence.

Britain’s Last Silver Circulating Coins

That all stopped in 1946 when the very last British circulation coins were struck in silver. The British Government completely banned precious metal from circulating coinage in 1947 .

Silver Shilling

The George VI Silver Shilling is one of Britain’s Last circulating Silver Coins

Britain as we know today, is one of the worlds strongest economies, but this wouldn’t have been possible had it not been for the ‘Great Recoinage’. The event didn’t just stabilise currency, it also stimulated the British economy.

First look – the new Churchill £5 note revealed…

The New Sir Winston Churchill Polymer £5 Note

The New Sir Winston Churchill Polymer £5 Note © Bank of England [2015]

The Bank of England has just revealed their first ever polymer banknote in a ceremony at Blenheim Palace.

The new £5 note features an image of Sir Winston Churchill, alongside the famous quotation from his first speech as Prime Minister: ‘I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears and sweat.’

In the background the clock on Queen Elizabeth’s Tower reads 3pm, the time Churchill was making his speech in 1940. Behind the Houses of Parliament you can see the Nobel Prize for literature which the great statesman won in 1953.

The New £5 Note

The other side of the £5 note featuring Queen Elizabeth II © Bank of England [2015]

The other side of the note features a raft of new security measures including a see-through window, multiple holograms and micro-lettering under the Queen’s portrait – which can only be viewed under a microscope.

But most importantly…

When can I find one in my change?

The new note will enter circulation on September 13th this year. However, with millions of existing five pound notes still in use you may not be able to find one straight away.

Will I still be able to spend my current £5 notes?

Yes you will, but only up until May 2017. After that, they will cease to be legal tender – but you will still be able to exchange them at the Bank of England.

So the new era of Plastic Banknotes is officially upon us! What do you make of the new design? Let us know on Facebook or Twitter or in the comments below.


www.changechecker.orgYou can Find, Collect and Swap all of the UK commemorative coins you find in your change for free on the Change Checker Web App… try it here now: www.changechecker.org/app