The Snowman™ and The Snowdog come to life on brand new UK 50p!

A brand-new UK 50p is now available, marking the 10th anniversary of the first premiere of ‘The Snowman™ and The Snowdog‘ film.

The critically acclaimed animated sequel, ‘The Snowman™ and The Snowdog‘, suitably premiered on Channel 4 on Christmas Eve, 2012.

It was created with the late Raymond Briggs’ blessing and subsequently, in 2015, a book of the film was published by Puffin, bringing words to the story for the first time. 

And, for the first time ever The Snowdog joins The Snowman on a UK 50p!

Interestingly for collectors, The Snowman™ and The Snowdog 50p features a design by award-winning illustrator Robin Shaw.

As well as being an accredited designer, Shaw also acted as assistant director on the 2012 film!

You can get The Snowman™ and The Snowdog 50p today for JUST £4.99 (+p&p) by clicking here >>

2022 UK The Snowman™ and The Snowdog

Undeniably, Snowman™ coins are some of the most popular out there, with previous issues selling out remarkably fast.

Three out of the now five Snowman™ 50ps are also no longer available at The Royal Mint, meaning you need to act fast to get your hands on this new coin.

And considering the brand new UK Snowman™ and The Snowdog 50p is available the same year as Raymond Briggs’ passing, it is comparatively the most poignant yet.

It’s also guaranteed to be one of the last UK coins with Queen Elizabeth II’s portrait on the obverse. This is sure to drive demand for this brand new 50p

2022 UK The Snowman™ and The Snowdog 50p obverse/reverse. Reverse to the right shows the Snowman and the Snowdog embracing with snowfall behind.
The obverse features Queen Elizabeth II's portrait.
2022 UK The Snowman and The Snowdog 50p obverse/reverse. Featuring Queen Elizabeth II’s portrait.

As the UK’s only official Christmas coin, it is the perfect festive gift, that’s certainly going to warm the hearts of every collector (and every dog lover) out there!

Get your 2022 UK Snowman and The Snowdog 50p in Brilliant Uncirculated for JUST £4.99 (+p&p) by clicking here >>

In our video below, I talk you through Change Checker’s festive 50p range. Browse the range here >>

Get ahead this Christmas with Change Checker’s festive 50p range

Browse the Change Checker Christmas range here >>


Last year when the 2021 Snowman™ 50p was issued, I gave my top tips for building your own snowman! With the temperatures dropping, we can certainly hope for a white Christmas!

Read my top tips here >>

UK snowman with christmas hat and scarf. Pictured with a shovel.
A snowman pictured with a shovel and christmas hat and scarf.

Just like magic… The Snowman™ returns to UK 50p

For me, Christmas isn’t complete without The Snowman™. Every year, it’s guaranteed to put a smile on my face.

First published in 1978, the book has sold more than 5.5 million copies in 15 different languages! In 1982, the story was also adapted into an animated film by Channel 4.

Whichever version you prefer, it’s fair to say The Snowman™ has earned its title as one of the world’s greatest tales.

One of my favourite scenes from the tale, is when James is building his Snowman and we see him draw on a big smile.

So, this is why the 2021 UK Snowman 50p, is one of my favourite festive coins. This exact scene from the book can be seen on the design of this 50p and if you’re like me, it’s bound to warm your hearts this winter.

The new design by award winning illustrator and animator, Robin Shaw, continues the celebrations of the 40th anniversary of Raymond Briggs’ much-loved festive tale, The Snowman™.

It would be hard to find someone who doesn’t have fond memories of this magical festive tale, making this 50p the perfect Christmas gift for collectors and Snowman fans alike.

As you’d expect with such a special 50p, your coin has been struck to a superior Brilliant Uncirculated quality and carefully encapsulated in Official Change Checker Packaging with the all-important security hologram, guaranteeing its quality.

Whether you’re treating yourself, or a loved one this Christmas, there’s snow way you’ll want to miss this 50p issue. To secure yours for JUST £4.50 (+p&p), simply click here >>


In the rest of this blog, I give you my top tips for building your own snowman and I invite you to discover the history of The Snowman™ on coins.

So, grab yourself a blanket, a cup of cocoa, and cosy up!


2020 UK The Snowman 50p

Issued in 2020 to continue the celebrations of the 40th anniversary of Raymond Briggs’ classic Christmas tale, Robin Shaw’s design of this 50p takes inspiration from the friendship between The Snowman™ and James.

This coin is no longer on sale at The Royal Mint, meaning it’s not as easy to get hold of. Luckily, Change Checker has some remaining stock of this charming 50p. To secure yours whilst stock lasts, click here >>

2019 The Snowman 50p

In 2019The Snowman™ made his second UK 50p appearance, featuring alongside his friend James, set against the snowy mountains they famously fly over in the tale.

At the time of its release, it was the second Christmas 50p to be ever be released in the UK, with previous festive releases being dedicated to the £5 coin!

2018 The Snowman 50p

Celebrating the 40th anniversary of the Christmas classicNatasha Ratcliffe’s design of this 2018 50p features The Snowman and James ‘walking in the air’

This 50p was so popular that the Silver Proof version completely SOLD OUT on the first day of issue!


Whilst the 2018 release marked the first time that The Snowman™ appeared on a UK coin, it’s not the first time that this frosty friend has appeared on a 50p…

Isle of Man Snowman 50ps

Over the years, The Snowman has featured on a number of different 50ps from The Isle of Man, some of which are incredibly sought after.

eBay sold listing for the 2003 Isle of Man Snowman 50p

One such coin from 2003 featuring James and The Snowman™ sold for over £250 on the secondary market in 2019 – not a bad return on a 50p coin!

Isle of Man coinage is particularly sought-after by collectors as mintages are significantly lower than in the UK, due to a population of around 85,000.

As these coins are very similar in appearance and specification to UK coins, they can sometimes find their way over here when people return from holidaying on the island.


As winter approaches and the weather gets even colder, it’s got me thinking about building my own snowman…

Source: Francisco AnzolaCC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Here are some helpful tips so you can build the best snowman this year!

  1. The best time to pack snow is when it approaches melting point and becomes moist and compact. This means you can build a big snowball by simply rolling it (which saves a lot of your energy!)
  2. A good time to build a snowman may be the next warm afternoon directly following a snowfall with a sufficient amount of snow. This ensures the snow has had time to approach melting point!
  3. Protect your snowman from the sun damage! Give your snowman the best shot at a long life by situating it someplace flat and shady and face it away from the sun.
  4. Help your snowman find its balance! Aim for a 3-2-1 snowball ratio and remember, the lower to the ground your snowman is, the more stable it will be.
  5. Jim Sysko, an expert snowman builder who worked on the largest snowman in the world, suggests flattening the top of each snowball before placing the next one on top. That way your snowman will have more stability.
  6. Personalise your snowman! Just because the process of building a snowman has remained unchanged for centuries, doesn’t mean you can’t add your own spin on things with decorations! Why not give it a funky cap or repurpose last year’s Christmas jumper?

I’d love to know in the comments if you’ve got any other tips for building a snowman!


The 2021 UK The Snowman™ 50p is definitely my favourite festive 50p of recent years. Which Snowman 50p is your favourite? Let us know in the comments below!


Secure the 2021 UK The Snowman 50p today!

Secure yours today for JUST £4.50 (+p&p) by simply clicking here >>

As you’d expect with such a special 50p, your coin has been struck to a superior Brilliant Uncirculated quality and carefully encapsulated in Official Change Checker Packaging with the all-important security hologram, guaranteeing its quality.

The Snowman™ is back! Brand new UK 50p JUST released!

It’s a magical day indeed as this morning, The Snowman™ has made a return to the UK’s favourite coin, the 50p!

2020 UK The Snowman 50p. Secure yours here >>

This brand new 50p has been issued to continue the celebrations of the 40th anniversary of the much-loved festive tale, The Snowman™!

In this latest release we see James and the Snowman embracing in a scene that is sure to warm your hearts this festive season!

Designed by Robin Shaw, this brand new 50p brings our favourite Christmas character to life exactly how we remember him from the famous tale.

With such a special issue, this coin is available in superior Brilliant Uncirculated quality from JUST £4.50 (+p&p)

Secure yours here >>

But this isn’t the first time we’ve seen The Snowman™ feature on a 50p! Previous Snowman 50p coins from The Royal Mint have proved incredibly popular with collectors and have even seen sell outs within just hours of release!

So, grab yourself a blanket and a mug of hot chocolate and cosy up, as we take a look at the history of The Snowman on coins…

2019 UK Snowman 50p

2019 UK Snowman 50p

In 2019, The Snowman™ made his second UK 50p appearance, featuring alongside his friend James, set against the snowy mountains they famously fly over in the tale.

At the time of its release, it was the second Christmas 50p to be ever be released in the UK, with previous festive releases being dedicated to the £5 coin.

This coin is still available to order in Brilliant Uncirculated quality for JUST £4.50 but we have STRICTLY LIMITED STOCK remaining, so act fast.

Click here to secure yours >>

2018 UK Snowman 50p

2018 UK Snowman 50p

Celebrating the 40th anniversary of the Christmas classic, Natasha Ratcliffe’s design features The Snowman and James ‘walking in the air’

Issued as the very first UK Christmas 50p and very first UK Snowman issue, this coin was destined to be popular amongst collectors!

In fact, it was so popular that the Silver Proof version completely SOLD OUT on the first day of issue!

Whilst the 2018 release marked the first time that The Snowman has appeared on a UK coin, it’s actually not the first time that this frosty friend has appeared on a 50p…

Isle of Man Snowman 50ps

Over the years, The Snowman has featured on a number of different 50ps from The Isle of Man, some of which are incredibly sought after.

eBay sold listing for the 2003 Isle of Man Snowman 50p

One such coin from 2003 featuring James and The Snowman™ recently sold for over £250 on the secondary market – not a bad return on a 50p coin!

Isle of Man coinage is particularly sought-after by collectors as mintages are significantly lower than in the UK, due to a population of around 85,000.

As these coins are very similar in appearance and specification to UK coins, they can sometimes find their way over here when people return from holidaying on the island.

Have you found an Isle of Man Snowman 50p on your travels or perhaps one has mistakenly made its way into your change! Let us know in the comments below!


It seems as though this frosty friend is a festive favourite amongst collectors but we want to know which Snowman 50p is your favourite!

Let us know in the comments below!


Gift The Snowman 50p this Christmas for JUST £4.50 (+p&p)

Secure yours today by clicking here >>

This coin really is the perfect festive treat for a loved one or even as a gift to yourself.

To secure the 2020 UK The Snowman™ 50p for just £4.50 (+p&p), click here >>