75th Anniversary of the End of the Second World War commemorated on BRAND NEW £5 coin!

2020 marks the 75 years since the end of the Second World War and in commemoration this brand new UK £5 coin has been issued, honouring the struggles and sacrifices made to achieve lasting peace.

Designers Matt Dent and Christian Davies have included the words ‘WAR’ and ‘PEACE’ on the reverse of this coin. This brand new £5 coin’s design was said to be inspired by stone war memorials, paying tribute to the millions of lives lost during the six years of conflict.

To mark this special anniversary, this £5 coin has been issued in a number of different specifications, including Brilliant Uncirculated quality for just £10.99 (+p&p).

Victory in Europe and Japan

Evacuation from Japanese Prisoner of War Camp – Post WWII. Source: Wikimedia Commons

Whilst Victory in Europe (VE) Day in May 1945 marked the start of the end of the war, in the Far East, Japan was yet to be defeated and the war raged on for three more months.

Atomic bombs were used by American forces, which largely destroyed the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki on August 6th and 9th and left devastating effects of nuclear radiation for decades to come.

Although he never used the word ‘surrender’, the Japanese emperor Hirohito announced on the 15th August 1945, that he had told his government to accept the demands of the Allies and thus, over Asia and the Pacific, Japanese troops began to lay down their weapons.

This announcement marked the official end to the Second World War for all countries and nations involved.

To celebrate the 75th anniversary of this day and the end of the Second World War, The Royal Mint have issued this brand new £5 coin to preserve the history of this momentous day for generations to come.

But this new release isn’t the only UK coin to commemorate past military conflicts or battles…

2020 UK Victory in Europe Day £2

2020 UK Victory in Europe Day £2

Issued by The Royal Mint, this 2020 VE Day £2 features a woman holding a newspaper aloft in a crowd of celebrating people, set against a backdrop of the word VICTORY.

2020 marks a particularly poignant anniversary as we celebrate 75 years since Victory in Europe Day. Many celebrations had been scheduled to mark this joyous occasion, including rescheduling the Early May Bank Holiday to the 8th, but were not able to take place due to the pandemic.

In place of the big parties that were planned, people took to their doorsteps to sing and raise a glass over their fence with their neighbours!

The edge inscription of this coin reads ‘JUST TRIUMPH AND PROUD SORROW’ which is incredibly fitting for a coin which marks such a historic anniversary.

2019 D-Day Landings £2

2019 D-Day Landings £2

D-Day was the largest seaborne invasion in history. It took place on 6th June 1944 and began the liberation of German-occupied France during WWII, laying the foundations of the Allied victory.

Designed by renowned Royal Mint engraver, Stephen Taylor, this coin was issued in 2019 to mark the 75th anniversary of the D-Day landings. It features arrows each pointing across the English Channel to Normandy. Each arrow also has one of the code names used for each of the beaches where Allied troops landed – Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno, and Sword.

This £2 coin is a timeless tribute to the thousands of Allied troops who fought tirelessly and sacrificed their lives to make the Normandy landings a success.

2015 Battle of Britain 50p

2015 Battle of Britain 50p

The Battle of Britain was an intense air battle fought mainly throughout the summer of 1940 between Germany and Britain. The name for the conflict was derived from a Winston Churchill speech in which he said “The Battle of France is over. I expect the Battle of Britain is about to begin”.

Ultimately it was a decisive victory for the RAF and Britain, and crucially it was the first time Germany had faced defeat in World War Two. The reverse design of this commemorative 50p depicts three airmen scrambling towards their planes.

This coin has a circulating mintage of 5,900,000.

2018 First World War (Armistice) £2

2018 First World War (Armistice) £2

Armistice marked the start of the end of the First World War and the victory of the Allies on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month in 1918.

In 2018, to commemorate the 100th anniversary of this significant victory, The Royal mint issued this £2 coin. It was issued as part of a commemorative £2 coin series from 2014-2018 to mark the centenary of the First World War.

The reverse was designed by Stephen Raw and features the words ‘The truth untold, the pity of war’, from the Wilfred Owen poem Strange Meeting. The words stand out on a mud-like background in the centre of the £2.

2018 RAF £2 Series

2018 RAF Centenary £2 Coin

The Royal Air Force was formed on April 1st 1918, in the early years of aviation. It was the world’s first independent air force, and is recognised today all over the world for its capability, courage and innovation.

In 2018, a series of £2 coins were issued, including the coin pictured above, commemorating the centenary of the RAF’s establishment.

Each stunning design features an iconic RAF aircraft, from the modern F35 Lightning to the famous Spitfire, with the first coin in the series being this £2 coin, which celebrates the Royal Air Force as a whole.

The reverse features a design by Rhys Morgan of the Badge of the RAF – an eagle flies in front of a circle inscribed with the official motto ‘Per Ardua Ad Astra’, which is Latin for ‘Through adversity to the stars’, with the Imperial Crown at the top.


If the popularity of previous military themed coins is anything to go by, we’re expecting this brand new £5 coin to be a firm favourite with collectors!

What’s your favourite military coin that you have in your collection? Let us know in the comments below.


Secure the BRAND NEW 2020 UK 75th Anniversary of the End of the Second World War £5 for JUST £10.99 (+p&p)

Click here to secure the 2020 UK 75th Anniversary of the End of the Second World War £5 for JUST £10.99 (+p&p) >>

Bond, James Bond – British spy to feature on new UK coin series

As of the Royal Proclamation issued on 14th February, a very exciting United Kingdom £5 coin series has been confirmed for release in 2020.

Many will know him by him M16 codename ‘007’ but the name James Bond is famous worldwide.

007 on coins

The Royal Proclamation confirms there will be three coins in the series.

The reverse of the first coin in the series will show the Bond car from Goldfinger set against the 007 logo with the inscription ‘Bond, James Bond‘.

The second coin in the series will show the Bond car from The Spy Who Loved Me set against part of the 007 logo and the inscription ‘Pay attention 007′.

Finally, the last coin in the series will feature a depiction of James Bond’s torso in a dinner jacket and bow tie set against a part of the 007 logo with the inscription ‘Shaken not stirred’.

Not the first UK Bond coin…

This isn’t the first-time Bond has featured on a UK coin. The world-famous spy made his debut appearance on the A-Z of Great Britain 10ps taking the ‘B’ for ‘Bond’ spot.

The ‘Bond’ 10p is widely considered the most popular of the A-Z 10p coins and currently takes the top spot on the Change Checker A-Z 10p Scarcity Index so we’re certain this new release is going to be a hit with collectors!

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Our Top 10 UK Royal Coins

Are you a collector of UK Royal coins?

From celebrating Queen Elizabeth II’s 90th Birthday, to marking Queen Victoria’s accession to the throne in 1837, Royal anniversaries, birthdays and achievements have been commemorated on UK coinage for centuries.

In this blog, we’re going to take a look at what we believe to be the Top 10 UK Royal Coins of all time.


1. 2015 Longest Reigning Monarch £5

The Westminster Collection

As of 2020, HM Queen Elizabeth II became the world’s 5th longest reigning monarch! But in 2015, she became Britain’s, after 63 incredible years on the throne.

To celebrate this momentous occasion The Royal Mint issued a series of commemorative coins, including this 2015 Longest Reigning Monarch £5.

When news of the coin broke, it proved to be popular amongst coin collectors and fans of the Royal Family alike, with The Royal Mint’s website experiencing “overwhelming levels of traffic”. (The Royal Mint Blog)

Unusual in modern times, James Butler has designed both the reverse and the obverse of the coin. His new commemorative portrait of HM The Queen features on the obverse.

2. 2020 UK King George III £5

The Westminster Collection

Next up is the King George III £5 which was initially issued as part of the 2020 Annual Coin Set in January to celebrate the life and reign of Britain’s longest reigning King.

In commemoration of the 200th anniversary since his death, this is the first time that King George III has been celebrated on modern UK coinage – the last time he featured on a coin was 1820!

Included in the reverse design is the royal residence and his place of death, Windsor Palace as well as the King’s Observatory, which was founded by the King himself in 1769!

3. 2016 Queen Elizabeth II’s 90th Birthday £5

The Westminster Collection

As a nation, we’ve celebrated Her Majesty the Queen’s landmark birthdays, jubilees and wedding anniversaries during her long and eventful reign.

When Queen Elizabeth II became the first British monarch to celebrate their 90th Birthday, the release of this £5 coin in 2016 was particularly special and hugely significant for collectors around the world.

This is the only official UK £5 coin to mark this special occasion and it features a design that was approved by The Queen herself! The 9 roses on the reverse, designed by Christopher Hobbs, each represent a decade of Her Majesty’s life.

4. 1838 The Young Head Sovereign

At just 18 years old, Alexandra Victoria acceded to the throne and ruled Britain for an incredible 63 years, making her Britain’s longest reigning monarch at the time of her death in 1901!

This was the very first Sovereign to be issued under Queen Victoria’s rule, issued in 1832, featuring the popular ‘Young Head’ portrait by William Wyon. This portrait was favoured by Victoria and contributed to the coin’s popularity through her reign.

To this day, it is the longest a portrait has featured on Britain’s circulating coinage having been issued on bronze coins up until 1895!

5. 1902 Edward VII Silver Crown

The Westminster Collection

The Edward VII 1902 Silver Crown was issued for one-year-only to celebrate Edward’s coronation – only 256,020 were ever struck. It was the last British crown struck for circulation!

This coin reflects a crucial period in British History, and celebrates the might and confidence of one of the most powerful leaders on earth.

6. 2008 Queen Elizabeth I £5

Numista

Elizabeth I succeeded to the throne on 17th November 1558 – a moment of triumph for the underestimated daughter of Henry VIII…

Under her rule, England went from an impoverished country torn apart by religious and political turbulence to the world’s dominant power with victory over the Spanish Armada in 1588.

The Elizabethan era is often considered the golden age of English history with music, art and literature flourishing.

To commemorate 450 years since Elizabeth II’s accession, The Royal Mint issued this £5 in 2008 featuring a portrait of Elizabeth I within a mandorla created by four decorative arches and Tudor roses.

7. 2018 Four Generations of Royalty

The Westminster Collection

This Four Generations of Royalty £5 coin was highly anticipated since the moment HRH Prince George of Cambridge was born on 22nd July 2013.

This was the first time in modern years that The Royal Mint issued a coin that celebrated all four generations of royalty in line to the throne on a single coin. The last time that four generations of royalty were celebrated together was in 1894 under Queen Victoria’s reign!

The reverse design, by Timothy Noad, ornately shows the initials of the current four generations, E, C, W & G and represents the heritage of the House of Windsor.

8. 2000 Queen Mother Centenary £5

Change Checker

Anticipation of the imminent 100th birthday of HM the Queen Mother meant several countries released centenary coins as soon as she entered her 100th year rather than wait for her actual birthday on 4th August 2000.

The Royal Mint struck a £5 coin wholly designed by Ian Rank-Broadley, which included a reverse design of a left-facing profile of the Queen Mother wearing a diamond tiara with her signature underneath; this was the first time this had happened on a British coin!

9. 2017 Platinum Wedding Anniversary £5

The Westminster Collection

On 20th November 2017 Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and HRH Prince Philip celebrated their Platinum wedding anniversary, celebrating an unprecedented 70 years together!

To mark the longest marriage in Royal history, The Royal Mint issued a celebratory £5 coin in 2017. It features specially commissioned double portrait of the couple on the obverse, and an engraving of the two riding their much loved horses together on the reverse.

It is estimated just 60 people in the UK celebrated their Platinum Wedding Anniversary in the same year – meaning Her Majesty and HRH Prince Philip are literally one in a million!

10. 2018 Prince Charles 70th Birthday £5

The Westminster Collection

On the 14th November 2018 Prince Charles celebrated his 70th birthday.

To mark this special occasion and to celebrate the longest serving heir apparent, who has shown unwavering dedication to the British people, The Royal Mint issued this £5 coin.

The reverse features a new portrait of the prince, specially designed by Robert Elderton. It is the only official UK coin to have marked The Prince of Wales’ birthday!


Of course there have been so many other incredible UK Royal coins and narrowing it down to just 10 was a tough job, but we certainly feel these coins have got to be highlights!

Let us know which coins UK Royal coins would make it into your Top 10 in the comments below!


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

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Sign up today at: www.changechecker.org/app