Foreign coins
We’re mad as a hatter over these Alice in Wonderland 50ps from the Isle of Man!
Change Checker is so excited to reveal a brand new set of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland 50p coins, authorised for release by the Isle of Man Treasury!
Excitingly for collectors, this is the first time (worldwide!) that the story of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland have been celebrated on a 50p coin.
Issued to celebrate 150 years since author, Lewis Carroll, first published his tale of fantasy, nonsense, and fun, these brand new 50ps are nothing short of magical.
Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland 50p Set
Prepare yourself to fall down the rabbit hole with these brand new FIVE 50p coins, designed by renowned illustrator Stephen Lee. The designs of these coins depict the books’ most beloved characters featuring quotes inspired by the characters, including:
- Alice: “What a curious feeling! said Alice”
- Cheshire Cat: “We’re all mad here”
- Queen of Hearts: “That’s enough! Off with their Head”
- The Mad Hatter: “I am under no obligation to make sense to you”
- The White Rabbit: “The hurrier I go, the behinder I get”
Which coin is your favourite? Let us know in the comments below!
Only the Alice 50p coin will be issued individually, but you can secure this amazing five coin set in Brilliant Uncirculated Quality, or in stunning .925 Sterling Silver.
Your Brilliant Uncirculated Quality quality coins will come protectively housed in a bespoke presentation pack, carefully curated by the coins’ designer.
To secure the Alice’s Adventures in Wonderful 50p BU Set for your collection for JUST £31.25 (+p&p) click here >>
Strictly Limited Edition
You won’t want to be late to this party as what’s most exciting about the coins is that there are some very low edition limits for the Silver Proof versions…
Silver 50p coins are, without doubt, the collector’s favourite and a sell-out is inevitable.
The complete set is strictly limited to just 1,995 worldwide. When compared to the sellout story of the 2019 UK Gruffalo Silver Proof 50p, which had a mintage of 25,000, it’s almost certain there will not be enough of these Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland Silver Proof 50p sets to satisfy demand.
You can secure yours for your collection by clicking here >>
Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland 50p Coin
This 50p is the only coin in the set to have been issued individually, and it celebrates none other than the main character herself, Alice.
The coin features a carefully curated design of Alice, by renowned illustrator Stephen Lee. The design is also partnered with an excerpt of her best-known quote “‘What a curious feeling’ said Alice“.
This coin is available in Brilliant Uncirculated quality for JUST £6.25 (+p&p) and will come protectively housed in a bespoke presentation pack, carefully curated by the coins’ designer as the perfect pairing.
But, for those collectors looking for a little bit more adventure, this brand new coin is also available in stunning .925 Sterling Silver.
Struck to a pristine Proof finish, with the added extra of selective vivid colour to bring the design to life, this coin is, without a doubt, one of the most visually appealing coins we’ve seen in recent years.
What’s more, this coin will come protectively housed in a presentation box, along with a numbered Certificate of Authenticity confirming its place in the strict edition limit.
To secure yours for JUST £65.00 (+p&p) simply click here >>
Can I find the Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland 50ps in my change?
If you’re living on the Isle of Man, then yes!
10,000 of each coin will be entering circulation on the Isle of Man and when you compare that to the mintage figures for UK coins (our rarest 50p in circulation has a mintage of 210,000) you’ll realise just how few of these coins are actually out there.
Coins issued on the Isle of Man typically have lower mintage figures due to the smaller population of just 84,000 which means that their coins are particularly sought-after amongst collectors.
And, based on the popularity of the 2019 and 2020 Peter Pan 50ps that entered circulation on the Island, I’m sure that British Isles collectors will be super quick to snap these ones up!
Alice in Wonderland remains one of the world’s most famous and best-loved children’s tales, with fans spanning across generations.
So with a theme as strong as this, paired with those incredibly low mintage figures for the silver proof versions, these coins are sure to be a hit with collectors.
Will you be securing them for your collection? Let us know in the comments below!
Secure the 2021 Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland 50p BU Set today!
Your Brilliant Uncirculated Quality coins will come protectively housed in a bespoke presentation pack, carefully curated by the coins’ designer.
To secure the Alice’s Adventures in Wonderful 50p BU Set for your collection for JUST £31.25 (+p&p) click here >>
Queen Victoria – Around the World on Coins…
Cast your imagination back to the 19th century… Queen Victoria ruled 400 million people in an empire that covered almost a quarter of the world’s surface!
With a name and title famous across the globe, it may come as a surprise to you that Queen Victoria never actually stepped foot in many of the countries she ruled over.
India was held with such high regard in Victoria’s heart that it became known as the Jewel in the Empire’s crown. In 1876, India awarded her the title of ‘Empress of India’ in a gesture of appreciation.
Although having never stepped foot in the country and living 4,500 miles away, Victoria’s portrait was minted on to the currency of India (the rupee) from 1840, so people could recognise their empress!
The rupee is one of the oldest currencies in the world, so to feature a British monarch for the first time was an important moment in numismatic history.
The later portrait issued on rupees, similar to the Gothic Head effigy, can be considered one of the most beautiful coins of the empire.
A 22hr flight to Australia seems a long journey now but for Queen Victoria, a trip to this corner of the world would have taken her almost two months to get there!
So, there’s no surprises this was also a country that she never visited. However, the need for a British presence in the country was growing with the empire; as the empire grew, so did the need for coins. The Royal Mint opened branches in Australia and in 1855, a sovereign was minted outside of the UK for the first time – the Sydney sovereign.
It featured a portrait of Victoria that was based on the Young Head effigy, but with a sprig of banksia weaved through Victoria’s hair, giving the portrait a distinct Australian feel.
The Sydney sovereign became incredibly successful and a number of Royal Mint branches were opened throughout Australia as a result. To identify the Mint that sovereigns were produced in, mintmarks were added to the coins, with a small ‘P’ for Perth, and an ‘M’ for Melbourne.
The sovereign became legal tender in the majority of British colonies in the 1860s, and its importance in British trade, and worldwide circulation earned it the title “the King of Coins”. By the final years of the British Empire, the sovereign was minted in four continents across the globe.
India and Australia weren’t the only countries that saw Victoria’s portrait. Her image also reached as far as Hong Kong, Ceylon, East Africa and New Zealand. In 1870 the first Canadian dollar with Victoria’s portrait was issued, taking Victoria’s image to a new side of the world for people to see.
Despite never leaving Europe, Queen Victoria’s portrait and image stood strong on coins around the world. Whilst she never stepped foot in many of the countries that she ruled over, that didn’t stop people recognising her image around the world.
The coins that they used every day provided a link to the empire that they were a part of, despite the miles between them.
If you’ve found this blog informative and have enjoyed reading, let us know in the comments below!
Secure the 2019 UK 200th Anniversary of the Birth of Queen Victoria £5 for your collection!
Your £5 coin has been struck to a superior Brilliant Uncirculated quality and is protectively encapsulated in official Change Checker packaging to ensure that it is preserved for generations.
To secure yours for JUST £10.99 (+p&p) click here >>
Gibraltar Celebrates Christmas with two BRAND NEW coins
Sleigh bells ring, are you listening? Because a brand new Gibraltar 50p and £2 coin have just been released featuring none other than Father Christmas himself!
These very festive coins have been released by the Government of Gibraltar, making them particularly sought-after by collectors given the low mintage figures typical from the country!
You can secure this magical Christmas coin pair (the very best way to own these coins!) here for just £13.50 (+p&p).
Or, you can secure the single 50p to your collection for JUST £4.50 (+p&p) by clicking here.
Your brand new Gibraltar Christmas 50p & £2 Pair will come in Official Change Checker Packaging, ready to slot into your Change Checker Album!
With previous Gibraltar issues proving immensely popular with collectors, I expect these coins will be snapped up quickly by collectors (especially as we have just a small allocation for Change Checkers!)
A history of popular coins
Gibraltar has released some truly beautiful coins in recent years, and as their mintage figures are typically much lower than UK coins, they are often highly sought-after by collectors…
Coins from Crown dependencies, such as Gibraltar and overseas British territories can sometimes make an unexpected appearance in our change.
They are identical in size, shape and weight to UK denominations which means they often find their way into tills and vending machines undetected.
Whilst these coins aren’t technically legal tender in the UK, finding new and interesting designs is always a bonus!
So, whilst it may be tricky to find one in your change, Change Checker has listed our Top 10 Coins from Gibraltar that are worth trying to hunt down!
2019 Breast Cancer £2
Last year the Government of Gibraltar issued a new £2 coin in partnership with Breast Cancer Support Gibraltar.
However, only a limited number were released into circulation on the Isle of Gibraltar, making it one of the most popular coins of the year, but also one of the most difficult to source.
But not many collectors were aware of the secret this coin was hiding…
The Gibraltar Breast Cancer £2 features a special portrait of Queen Elizabeth II on the obverse. It was originally drawn by Raphael Maklouf for the Gibraltar 90th Birthday £5 coin issue but has also been used on a small selection of Gibraltar coinage.
This portrait is currently not in use by any other country in the world, making any Gibraltar coin with this portrait on extremely collectable!
A limited number of coins were available at The Westminster Collection, and they sold out within hours! Collectors were quick to search on the secondary market to find them and some prices reached over £40!
Gibraltar Candytuft Flowers 50p
This 50p features the denomination surrounded by a crown of Gibraltar Candytuft flowers, known as ‘Iberis Gibraltarica’.
Iberis Gibraltarica is the national flower of Gibraltar and is the symbol of the Upper Rock Nature Reserve which covers 40% of the country’s land area. Gibraltar is the only place in Europe where it is found growing in the wild!
In 1988, JUST 30,000 of these 50ps were issued for circulation, making it 7 times rarer than the UK’s rarest 50p and particularly scarce and sought after amongst collectors. Another key feature which makes this coin so collectable is that it was issued in the pre-1997 specifications, meaning it’s significantly larger than the current 50ps we find in our change!
Rock of Gibraltar £1
This £1 coin was issued for the 1995 National Day and for the 50th Anniversary of the UN.
National Day is celebrated annually on September 10th and is the official national day of Gibraltar.
The reverse features the iconic Rock of Gibraltar with birds and sun rays above, and the obverse features the Raphael David Maklouf engraving of Queen Elizabeth II.
This £1 is in the older round pound specifications, meaning they won’t appear in your UK change as the round pound lost its legal tender status in the UK in 2016, after the introduction of the 12-sided £1. This means it’s even harder to get your hands on this coin!
Neanderthal Skull £1
This £1 coin from Gibraltar was issued to celebrate the discovery of a Neanderthal skull in a quarry near the Rock of Gibraltar in 1848.
The Neanderthals in Gibraltar were some of the very first to ever be found and this particular skull is one of the oldest specimens known.
Designed by Philip Nathan, the reverse features the Neanderthal skull and lettering, “Discovery of Neanderthal skull in Gibraltar 1848”. The obverse was designed by Raphael Maklouf and features the crowned bust of Queen Elizabeth I.
Capture of Gibraltar 50p
This 50p was issued in Gibraltar in 2005 to commemorate the Capture of Gibraltar in 1704, during the war of the Spanish Succession.
As part of the Allied strategy, Sir George Rooke had been sent with an Anglo-Dutch force into the Mediterranean to attack the French in Toulon. However, when his objectives proved impracticable, Rooke decided to justify his command by attacking Gibraltar.
The coin features a design on the reverse of ancient ships at sea with the Rock of Gibraltar in the background, paying tribute to the Anglo-Dutch fleet that sailed into Gibraltar. The obverse features the third portrait of Her Majesty by Royal Mint engraver Raphael D. Maklouf.
So will Santa be visiting you this Christmas in the form of the Gibraltar 50p and £2 pair? Comment below!
Don’t miss your opportunity of owning this magical Christmas coin pair!
Due to the limited circulating mintages of these coins, we have just a small allocation for Change Checkers, so don’t miss the opportunity to secure yours this Christmas!
Secure the 2020 Gibraltar Christmas £2 and 50p pair today for JUST £13.50 (+p&p) by clicking here >>