2021 Change Checker Awards – WINNERS ANNOUNCED!

Since the 2021 Change Checker Awards were opened to celebrate the very best people in the world of change collecting, nominations have been flooding in, and it really has been incredible to hear all of your stories from the last year.

It’s certainly meant we’ve had a really tough job deciding on the winners, but with thanks to our panel of judges from the Change Checker team and AllAboutCoins, our well deserved winners have now been selected…

Change Checker of the Year

Winner

Jeffrey Savage

Not only does Jeffrey have an impressive collection both 50p and £2 coins, his enthusiasm for the hobby is captivating. He’s spent a great deal of time and effort encouraging a friend’s son to develop a collection, even gifting him coins when he’s found them.

A truly deserving winner – well done!

Runner-up

Grace Potter

Grace has been nominated in our Change Checker Community for being a helpful and kind member. She has been praised for swapping not only coins, but also her knowledge, helping other members become more experienced in the hobby!

Congratulations!

Junior Change Checker of the Year

Winner

Oscar Harding

Oscar has become a passionate collector, with a wealth of knowledge on circulating coinage (from mintages to designers!) He’s particularly interested in collecting 50p coins, with his heart set on the Kew Gardens, something we can all relate to! His younger sister has now been introduced to the hobby, with the help of her brother, Oscar.

Congratulations!

Runner-up

Harry Halser

Harry has gone above and beyond in the community this year, checking his change at every opportunity and asking other family members to keep an eye out for him. He’s new to the hobby but is passionate, driven, and excited about the coins he has found in his change – all the qualities needed to be a super coin collector!

Well done!


A huge congratulations to our winners and runners up! Keep up the great work. Your prizes are on their way to you!

Matt, a panel member at AllAboutCoins said:

“Once again change checkers around the country have gone above and beyond to find the rarest coins and improve their collections, despite the funny old year we have experienced. What is most impressive about the winners is their clear passion to learn; collecting coins is not just about obtaining the designs themselves, it’s about discovering the stories behind the coins, the reasons they have been issued, and finding out who created these mini masterpieces. Congratulations to both the winners and runners-up and be sure to keep building your knowledge as well as your collection!”


Coin Design of the Year

It comes as no surprise that the 2021 Coin Design of the Year is awarded to the Decimal Day 50p!

The coin has been one of the biggest talking points of the year in the collecting community. We saw two versions of this 50p commemorating the 50th anniversary of our UK coinage turning decimal.

The first version of the Decimal Day 50p, available exclusively in the 2021 Annual Coin Set, features the original Arnold Machin portrait of Her Majesty The Queen on the obverse – the same obverse used for the UK’s very first decimal coins.

However, the individual coin which was released later in January, featured Jody Clark’s fifth portrait of The Queen instead.

If you want to find out why The Royal Mint reverted back to the Queen’s first decimal effigy for this new issue, click here >>

Which version of the 2021 UK Decimal Day 50p do you have in your collection? Let us know in the comment below!

Coin Story of the Year

The winning article in the Coin Story of the Year category, goes to second-time winner George Nixon of This Is Money!

His article, which you can read here, covers the story of Decimalisation, from the brand new 50p issued to mark the 50th anniversary of Decimal Day, to the rarest decimal coins currently in circulation.

Speaking to Change Checker, George said: “Becoming the first person to win back-to-back Coin Story of the Year awards is a real privilege. While I’ve hung up the coin cape with my move to The Times, it’s great to see This is Money once again recognised for the consistent excellence of its coin coverage.”


A big thank you once again to AllAboutCoins for supporting us this year and of course a huge congratulations to all of our winners and all the fantastic entries we had this year.

We’d like to thank each and every one of you for your continued support in 2021 and hope that 2022 is a fantastic year of Change Checking for you all!


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2020 Change Checker Awards – WINNERS Announced!

Since the 2020 Change Checker Awards were opened to celebrate the very best people in the world of change collecting, nominations have been flooding in, and it really has been incredible to hear all of your stories from the last year.

It’s certainly meant we’ve had a really tough job deciding on the winners, but with thanks to our panel of judges from the Change Checker team and AllAboutCoins, our well deserved winners have now been selected…

Change Checker of the Year

Winner:

Ben Osborne

‘Ben the coin collector’, as he is known by to his friends and family, is both an avid collector and supporter of the collecting community. He has built up an extensive collection of coins, whilst also encouraging others to take up the hobby too.

Well done Ben!

Runner-up:

Ann Weaver

Ann has gone above and beyond in helping others complete their collections this year. She has exchanged money for commemorative coins for those who have been unable to visit the banks themselves.

Congratulations Ann!

Junior Change Checker of the Year

Winner:

Emily Jackson

Emily has been collecting coins for over 2 years now, and she has successfully filled 4 Change Checker albums with her impressive collections! She even donated some of her coins to a local care home to encourage residents to take up the hobby.

Congratulations Emily!

Runner-up:

Michael Clough

Michael has become an avid coin collector, who regularly swaps on the Change Checker Community Group and loves hunting through bags of coins for coins he can add to his collection. He’s also made generous donations of coins to others – an attribute that is highly regarded in the collecting community.

Congratulations Michael!


Matt, a panel member at AllAboutCoins, said:

‘Wow, the team at allaboutcoins.co.uk were blown away by the entrants for this year’s awards, with so many heart-warming stories and inspirational collectors. It’s been a heck of a year, and so hearing how coin enthusiasts used their interest in coins to help others was brilliant.

Congratulations to all the winners, and to everyone who entered or simply got some pleasure from our wonderful hobby during 2020. We hope the winners enjoy reading Coin Collector magazine and we will watch their progress with interest!’


Coin Design of the Year

It comes as no surprise that the 2020 Coin Design of the Year is awarded to the Team GB 50p!

2020 UK Team GB 50p

This coin has been the talking point of the year in the collecting community, as we saw its initial release be postponed to 2021 as a result of the Olympic Games also being postponed.

However, the coin was available in the Annual Coin Sets, which led collectors to question whether we’d see two versions of this 50p, with different mintage figures.

Later in 2020 it was confirmed that the 2021 issued coin, would have the same design as the 2020 version, but with the new date included – meaning there will definitely be two versions of the Team GB 50p!

Have you got a 2020 dated Team GB 50p in your collection? Let us know below!

Coin Art of the Year

A huge congratulations to Natalie Christie, for her amazing guitar coin art, Gemma Louise for her tribute to the wonderful NHS, and Kerry Taylor’s heart of 50ps. You’ve each won a set of 3 Trading Cards, so send us an email at [email protected] or send us a private message on Facebook with your address to claim your prize.

Coin Story of the Year

The winner of the 2020 Coin Story of the Year Award goes to George Nixon, of This Is Money, for his article on the adorable 2020 Winnie the Pooh 50p series.

George Nixon of This Is Money with his Change Checker Coin Story of the Year Trophy.

Speaking to Change Checker, George said, “[When he] was just a small boy, I like many kids was in love with the Hundred Acre Wood and the stories of Winnie the Pooh. It’s fitting and especially lovely then to have won this award for this particular story.”


A big thank you once again to AllAboutCoins for supporting us this year and of course a huge congratulations to all of our winners and all the fantastic entries we had this year.

We’d like to thank each and every one of you for your continued support in 2020 and hope that 2021 is a fantastic year of Change Checking for you all!


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

Change Checker Web App Banner 2 Amends 1024x233 1 1024x233 - 2018 Change Checker Awards

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

WINNERS of the 2018 Change Checker Awards announced!

 

In November we opened the 2018 Change Checker Awards to celebrate the very best people in the world of change collecting, and I must say that it’s been incredible to hear all of your stories from the last year.

In fact, it’s been a really tough job deciding on the winners, but with thanks to our panel of judges from the Change Checker team and Coin Collector magazine, our well deserved winners have now been selected…

Checker Checker of the Year

Winner:

Chris Goodman

Chris was nominated by his girlfriend, Chloe who has learnt so much about coins because of him. His passion for coins has grown since he was a child, spending hours in antique shops looking at all the old coins. When it comes to his own collection, Chris is very particular about keeping everything in order, which is why he uses his Change Checker album to store his proudest belongings – coins.

As he carefully researches every coin he owns, Chris takes great pleasure and satisfaction in passing on this knowledge to other collectors and explaining the meaning behind each of his coins to the people he meets. He also owns all of the Change Checker accessories to help him with his collection.

Congratulations Chris – keep up the great work!

 

Runners up:

Paula Treleaven

Paula was nominated by Garry Williams for helping members to send and swap their coins throughout the year. She is looking after her husband who has cancer and working, but still manages to find time to keep coin collectors happy and so has been put forward for this award as a thank you for everything that she has done this year.

Susan Walters

Susan was nominated by her husband Robert for her enthusiasm for coin collecting, which started with her collection of Elizabeth II coins and has since grown to encompass £2 and 50p coins as well. She has also led swapping sessions at work and home, sharing her passion for collecting with others, even as her mobility declines. Great work Susan, well done!

 

Junior Change Checker of the Year

Winner:

Isla MacDonald (10 years)

Isla has found a special interest in coin collecting which started after she discovered an unusual 50p, which her father helped her to research. After keeping on eye out for other coins, by the end of her first day as a Change Checker, she had found three more and from there her interest has continued to such an extent that she has collected 40 50p coins and 30 £2 coins.

The local shopkeepers now keep aside any special coins for Isla as she always asks for them in her change. This interest has become infectious with her family, and even family friends now actively look out for those special remaining coins to complete her collection.

Isla has recently been covering World War 1 in school and was delighted to take in the First World War £2 coin to show her teacher and the class. She will not spend any of ehr special coins, but will help others who are starting out by swapping her doubles for normal coins.

Well done Isla!

 

Runners up:

Sophie Welch (15 years)

Sophie started showing an interest in coins nearly two years ago after noticing the different £2 and 50p designs. She soon got her first Change Checker collectors album and since then her collection has grown. Her interest in Art led her to design a coin in 2018 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Moon landing. After contacting The Royal Mint to share her design, Sophie was invited to spend a day at the Royal Mint and was even featured in an article on their blog. Sophie is certain that she wants to design coins for The Royal Mint when she is older. Great work Sophie!

Esme Hurley (8 years)

Esme has been an avid coin collector since the release of the first Beatrix Potter coins back in 2016. She now collects all coin denominations and checks every bit of change she receives and has drawn many members of her family and close friends into her collection hobby to assist in completing her ever growing collection. Esme loves to use the swap app and has travelled to the Change Checker live events. Most recently, Esme did a small presentation to her fellow cub scouts all about her coin collection and earned the cub collector badge. Well done Esme!

 

Coin Design of the Year

It comes as no surprise that the 2018 Coin Design of the Year is awarded to The Snowman 50p.

Natasha Ratcliffe’s dynamic design knocks Aaron West off the top spot for the first time two years, and it’s clear to see why she is the deserving winner this year. This Christmas 50p issued to mark the 40th anniversary of the publication of Raymond Briggs’ much-loved festive tale The Snowman™ depicts the boy and the snowman flying through the night sky above Brighton Pier and has been the most sought-after 50p of the year.

Congratulations Natasha!

 

Coin Story of the Year

The winner of the 2018 Coin Story of the Year Award goes to Lee Boyce from This Money for his breaking news article covering this year’s biggest reveal – the A-Z 10p coins!

 

Lee Boyce from This is Money. Coin Story of the Year 2018

 

Lee said, “I’m delighted to receive the award for Coin Story of the Year – and it’s sound as a pound that This is Money has been recognised for our excellent coverage on all things numismatical.

We always like to get our two pennies across in stories, and to make sure that anything we write about coins is accurate – not using overhyped and inaccurate information.

Thanks to Change Checker for the award – we will endeavour to continue with our solid coin stories into 2019.”

 

A big thank you once again to Coin Collector for supporting us this year and of course a huge congratulations to all of our winners and all the fantastic entries we had this year. We’d like to thank each and every one of you for your continued support in 2018 and hope that 2019 is a fantastic year of Change Checking for you all!

 


 

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

Change Checker Web App Banner 2 Amends 1024x233 1 1024x233 - 2018 Change Checker Awards

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