Posts Tagged ‘Gruffalo’
The Gruffalo returns to UK coins
With the recent announcement that a brand new Gruffalo 50p will be released this year, let’s take a closer look at why the previous Gruffalo 50ps were so popular!
Some of the most popular coins are often those that not only have captivating designs, but those that tell a story, and the 2019 Gruffalo® 50p and the 2019 Gruffalo and Mouse 50p coins are prime examples. These coins gained immense popularity among collectors, and it’s not hard to see why...
The story behind the coins
The Gruffalo, a beloved children’s book written by Julia Donaldson and illustrated by Axel Scheffler, first hit the shelves in 1999 and has since sold a whopping 13.5 million copies! The story has enchanted both children and adults, with its whimsical tale of a clever mouse who outsmarts a host of woodland creatures, including the fearsome Gruffalo.
Image Credit: axelscheffler.com
The Gruffalo has also become somewhat of a festive favourite, as it was adapted into a short film for BBC One in December 2009 by production company Magic Light Pictures.
2019 Gruffalo 50p
To celebrate the 20th anniversary of this iconic story, The Royal Mint released two commemorative 50ps in 2019, the first featuring the Gruffalo himself.
The reverse design, created by Magic Light Pictures, features the Gruffalo smirking mischievously with all his distinctive features.
When it was first released in February 2019, the Gruffalo 50p sparked huge excitement across the UK, inspiring a whole new generation of collectors.
It became one of the most sought-after 50ps of recent years, with more than 239,000 Brilliant Uncirculated 50ps sold and all 25,500 Silver Proof Gruffalo 50ps selling out.
2019 Gruffalo and Mouse 50p
Following the success of the first release, The Royal Mint delighted collectors once again by issuing a second Gruffalo 50p in October 2019. This time, the design featured the Gruffalo alongside the cunning little mouse, capturing a key moment from the story.
The intricate detailing highlights the contrast between the imposing Gruffalo and the small but brave mouse.
Collectors had been eagerly awaiting the release of this coin since The Royal Mint teased a second Gruffalo coin a few months earlier. There was speculation about what might feature on the second coin, from the charming fox to the sly snake, but the clever little mouse was a welcome addition to the design.
Similarly to the first Gruffalo 50p, the Gruffalo and Mouse 50p was incredibly popular with collectors, and just shy of 100,000 Brilliant Uncirculated 50ps were sold!
What’s next for the Gruffalo?
Eagle eyed collectors will have seen in the latest Royal Proclamation that we can expect a brand new Gruffalo 50p in 2024!
Details are still top secret, but we do know that the coin will celebrate 20 years since the release of the Gruffalo sequel, The Gruffalo’s Child and will feature depiction of the Gruffalo’s Child and a mouse, accompanied by the inscription “THE GRUFFALO’S CHILD”.
Considering the popularity of previous Gruffalo coins, this release really will be one to watch out for!
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Brand New The Gruffalo and Mouse 50p released!
Have you heard the story about the mouse who took a walk in the deep dark wood and ended up on a Gruffalo® 50p coin?
The brand new Gruffalo 50p has officially been released today and this time the monstrous character has been joined by the wonderfully cunning Mouse from Julia Donaldson’s book.
This mouse might be small in stature, but the brand new 50p coin has beautifully captured the full details of the brave little character from the nation’s favourite bedtime story.
The reverse of the coin has been created by Magic Light Pictures, who also designed the first coin, released in February this year.
Change Checkers have been wondering what might feature on the new coin – from the fox to the owl and all the creatures that live in the deep dark wood.
But the wait is now over and I’m sure you’ll agree that the choice to feature the Mouse has resulted in a fantastic coin designed to illustrate the classic story of The Gruffalo.
Coin collectors across the UK have been eagerly awaiting the release of the second Gruffalo 50p following the announcement in August this year.
In recent years, 50ps themed around children’s literature have inspired a whole new generation of collectors, with new coin releases appealing to families, youngsters and fans of books, as well as traditional collectors.
The Gruffalo is no exception, and the release of the first coin at the start of the year sparked huge excitement across the UK.
So much so in fact, that the Silver Proof version of the coin SOLD OUT at The Royal Mint in just a few hours!
With over 13.5 million copies of The Gruffalo sold worldwide, the collectability of this coin is undeniable and I’m sure that collectors will be keen to get their claws on this one (warts and all!)
This coin won’t be entering circulation, but will be available in Brilliant Uncirculated quality, which is the standard favoured amongst collectors, as well as coloured Silver Proof.
What do you think about the new Gruffalo and The Mouse 50p coin? And if you could design a new Gruffalo 50p, which characters would you choose to feature on the coin? Let us know in the comments below.
Own the brand new The Gruffalo and Mouse BU 50p!
You can now secure The Gruffalo and Mouse 50p in superior Brilliant Uncirculated quality! So don’t miss out on your chance to add one to your collection.
Oh help! Oh no! It’s a Gruffalo 50p…
We’ve just heard that something very exciting is making its way out of the deep dark wood and we can’t wait to share the news with you Change Checkers!
Rumour has it that the Gruffalo will be returning for a second 50p coin and will be available to collectors from 17th October this year…
No further details have been released just yet and any designs remain top secret, but what would you like to see on the second Gruffalo 50p?
The first ever UK Gruffalo 50p was released earlier this year and the response from collectors was phenomenal!
In fact, this coin was perhaps one of the most sought-after 50ps of recent years.
The release of a second coin is bound to cause a stir, not only in the collecting world, but amongst families and fans of the Gruffalo book too.
Stay up to date with all the latest Gruffalo news…
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Start your Gruffalo 50p collection today with the first coin in the series
If you haven’t secured the first Gruffalo 50p yet, now’s the time to get your collection started!
Own the first UK 2019 Gruffalo® 50p coin in superior Brilliant Uncirculated Quality today for just £4.50 (+£2.99 p&p) here.