Exciting Upcoming Coin Releases!

We’ve been keeping our eyes on the latest Royal Proclamations and excitingly for collectors, there are some new coins on the horizon!

I’m sure you’re just as excited as I am to hear which themes we can expect for these coins, including those of the 2021 issues!

*** UPDATE ***

As of the Royal Proclamation issued on 18th December 2020, it has been confirmed that a brand new 50p will be released next year commemorating Charles Babbage, the English polymath. Babbage originated the concept of a digital programmable computer and is considered by some to be “father of the computer”.

The coin is said feature to the inscription “CHARLES BABBAGE” accompanied by numbers representing the name Babbage in numerical code. Whilst the actual design remains top secret, we’re certainly excited for this coin’s release!

As of the Royal Proclamation issued on the 13th November 2020, it has been confirmed that a number of £5 coins will be released next year and, excitingly for collectors, there will also me a continuation of the Dinosauria 50p series which was a roaring success in 2020!

Collectors of royalty £5s will be pleased to hear that a new £5 coin is being issued featuring the Royal Cypher and the inscription “MY HEART AND MY DEVOTION” alongside the date of the Queen’s birth and the year 2021.

What’s more, the royal theme continues with the tenth coin in the Queen’s Beasts series, the Griffin of Edward III.

A further two £5 coins have also been announced – one commemorating the Saxon King, Alfred the Great and the other celebrating The Royal Albert Hall, with the inscription “INSPIRING ARTS AND SCIENCES”.

To make sure you don’t miss out on adding these coins to your collection as soon as they are released, you can sign up to the Change Checker £5 Subscription Service here >>

Last year’s Dinosauria 50p collection shook the coin collecting world and this year we’re in for a real treat as a further three coins have just been announced!

Each 50p celebrates the Jurassic Coast discoveries made by English fossil collector, dealer, and palaeontologist, Mary Anning.

The coins are set to feature the Temnodontosaurus, Plesiosaurus and Dimorphodon – fantastic creatures that walked the Earth millions of years ago.

Don’t miss your chance to secure these incredible coins for your collection! Sign up to the Change Checker UK New Issue Subscription Service here and never miss another release >>

David Bowie £5

The Royal Proclamation issued on 16th October 2020, confirms that a David Bowie £5 will be issued this year.

David Bowie. Credit: Wikimedia Commons – RCA Records

Images of the Silver Proof version of the coins have been released and we think the coin looks amazing! It features a portrait of David Bowie himself set against a blue and red lightning bolt, synonymous with the musician and his Aladdin Sane era. We can’t wait to see the BU version when the coin is released!

We can assume this coin will be the latest release in the incredibly popular Music Legends series, in which we’ve already seen a Queen £5 and an Elton John £5 coin.

If you want to make sure you never miss out on owning future new UK £5 issue at the initial release price of just £10.99, including the upcoming 2020 David Bowie £5, you can register for the Change Checker £5 Subscription here >>

Sir Walter Scott £2

It has also been confirmed that a £2 coin will be issued in 2021 commemorating the 250th anniversary of the birth of novelist, historian, and poet, Sir Walter Scott.

Portrait of Sir Walter Scott. Credit: Wikimedia Commons – The Bridgeman Art Library

The coin’s complete design remains a secret, but we do know it will feature the text: “SIR WALTER SCOTT NOVELIST HISTORIAN POET” encircled by the inscription “250TH ANNIVERSARY OF HIS BIRTH” and the year date.

Excitingly, this coin will also feature the edge inscription, “THE WILL TO DO, THE SOUL TO DARE”, a quote from his epic poem, ‘Marmion: A Tale of Flodden Field’.

H. G. Wells £2

A second £2 coin has been confirmed for 2021, commemorating the life and works of H.G Wells.

H.G. Wells. Credit: Wikimedia Commons – Gutenberg.org repost.

Herbert George Wells was an English novelist, sociologist, and historian, best-known for his sci-fi thrillers War of the Worlds, and The Invisible Man.

We can’t wait to see the design for this £2 as The Royal Proclamation alludes to a depiction of the Invisible Man and a Martian encircled by clock numerals. The coin is said to have an inscription which reads “GOOD BOOKS ARE THE WAREHOUSES OF IDEAS”.

John Logie Baird 50p

A 50p has been confirmed for 2021, commemorating Scottish engineer, John Logie Baird, who was the first person to demonstrate a working television.

John Logie Baird and his first publicly demonstrated television system. Credit: Wikimedia Commons – Popular Radio Magazine.

The design of the 50p features the inscription “JOHN LOGIE BAIRD TELEVISION PIONEER” accompanied by a depiction of a television mast emitting circular radio waves with a range of dates relating to John Logie Baird‘s discovery and developments.

Decimal Day 50p

2021 will mark 50 years since decimalisation and as of the Royal Proclamation, it looks as though we’ll be seeing a special 50p to commemorate the anniversary.

Decimal Posters. Credit: The Royal Mint Museum.

The design of the coin is suggested to feature the inscription ‘Decimal Day 1971’ to mark the anniversary.

Given the popularity of the coins issued in 2019 to mark the 50th Anniversary of the 50p, this coin is sure to be sought-after amongst collectors and we can’t wait to see it!

2021 Team GB 50p

Following the announcement earlier this year that the individual release of the 2020 Team GB 50p would be postponed in accordance with the rescheduling of the Olympic Games, the Royal Proclamation confirms we will see a 2021 dated Team GB coin.

It seems as though the design of the 2020 coin will be replicated for 2021, with the exception of the new 2021 date.

Excitingly, this will mean that there are two versions of the coin – one with the obverse dated 2020 from this year’s Annual Coin Set and one with the obverse dated 2021 for next year’s individual release.


We certainly can’t wait to find out more about these coins, but if you want to make sure you don’t miss out on owning them as soon as they’re released, you can sign up to our Change Checker subscriptions service!


The Change Checker UK CERTIFIED BU Subscription Service

Don’t miss your chance to get ahead of the crowd and be one of the very first collectors to receive the latest UK new issue coins as soon as possible after their release.

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Winnie the Pooh 50ps – could these be the most sought-after 50ps yet?

“It isn’t much good having anything exciting, if you can’t share it with somebody.” said Winnie the Pooh


In 2020, The Royal Mint announced a brand new 9-coin 50p collection celebrating the beloved Winnie the Pooh books!

The final coin in the collection was released in 2022, celebrating Britain’s best-loved bear and his friends from the Hundred Acre Wood.

2022 UK Winnie the Pooh and Friends 50p

2022 UK Winnie the Pooh and Friends 50p.
Featuring design of Winnie the Pooh, Eeyore, Tigger, and Piglet all sat beneath a tree, with a bumble bee buzzing above. 
The inscription reads: 'Winnie the Pooh' and 'Disney' trademark.
2022 UK Winnie the Pooh and Friends 50p

As the perfect way to round off the collection, this final coin in the series features a heart-warming design of Winnie and his friends – including Piglet, Eeyore and Tigger – together in the Hundred Acre Wood.

The nostalgic coin brings to life the classic illustrations by E.H. Shepard from the much-loved children’s novels – celebrating over 95 years of fun-filled adventures.

If you look closely, a buzzing bumblebee can even be seen flying across the coin as a unifying feature across each 50p in the series.

2022 UK Kanga and Roo 50p

2022 UK Kanga and Roo 50p coin reverse
2022 UK Kanga and Roo 50p

The sweet, gentle, and kind-hearted Kanga joined the Winnie the Pooh 50p collection, accompanied by her adventurous son, Roo.

The nostalgic reverse design featuring these delightful characters brings to life the classic illustrations by E.H. Shepard from the much-loved children’s novels.

Kanga was based off Christopher Robin’s real-life stuffed animal and in A. A. Milne’s stories, E. H. Shepard illustrates her with brown fur all over. Although kangaroos traditionally have a ‘pouch’, A. A. Milne describes Kanga’s as a ‘pocket’, in which her son Roo is often safely tucked into.

Add the 2022 Kanga & Roo 50p to your collection >>

2022 UK Eeyore 50p

2022 UK Eeyore 50p from The Royal Mint's Winnie the Pooh 50p Collection.
Featuring a design of the original illustrations by E. H. Shephard from A. A. Milne's books.
Eeyore seen sitting on the floor, looking back at his tale on the ground.
The inscription 'Eeyore' appears, with a bumble bee beneath - the motif of the collection.

The clever, brilliant, and witty Eeyore also joined his friends in the Winnie the Pooh 50p collection, with his tail firmly attached!

Featuring a design taken from E. H. Shepard’s original illustrations, this 50p shows the loveable, old, grey stuffed donkey, just as we remember him from A. A. Milne’s books.

Although famous for his melancholic nature, Eeyore’s loyalty always wins the hearts of his friends from Hundred Acre Wood, especially when he loses his tail.

Add the 2022 Eeyore 50p to your collection >>

2021 Tigger, Owl, and Winnie the Pooh and Friends 50p coins

The next three coins in the series, issued in 2021, featured Owl, Tigger and the whole gang from Hundred Acre Wood.

2021 UK Winnie the Pooh 50p coins.

On the design of the Tigger 50p, we see the bouncy character hopping around just as he does in E. H. Shepard’s original illustrations – on all four legs!

Sitting tall and proud on his 50p, Owl can be seen with quill and paper at the ready. Always on hand to share his advice (even when it may not be wanted!), Owl is the wisest inhabitant of Hundred Acre Wood.

We also saw all the main characters from A. A. Milne‘s classic tale feature on one 50p together. The 2021 Winnie the Pooh and Friends 50p proved a huge hit with coin collectors and fans of the books too!

2020 Winnie the Pooh, Christopher Robin, and Piglet 50p Coins

The first three coins in the series, issued in 2020, featured designs of Winnie the Pooh, Christopher Robin, and Piglet and were some of the most sought-after coins of the year!

2020 UK Winnie the Pooh 50p coins.

First in the series we saw Winnie the Pooh himself, just as we remember him, with a reverse design by The Walt Disney Company which features an original illustration from the Winnie the Pooh storybooks by E.H. Shepard.

Following closely behind we see Pooh’s most-trusted companion and friend, Christopher Robin, who featured on the second 50p in the 2020 series! Concluding the 2020 series, the character with the biggest heart in all of Hundred Acre Wood, Piglet, made his UK 50p debut.


The Story Behind the Classic

Winnie the Pooh was a collection of short stories first published in 1926 by A.A. Milne, for his son, Christopher Robin.

The original Winnie the Pooh stuffed toys. Credit: Wikimedia Commons

Most of Christopher Robin’s real life toys were the inspiration for A.A. Milne’s characters, but most significantly his favourite teddy bear which Winnie the Pooh himself is based on!

Alongside Winnie the Pooh, the fictional Hundred-Acre-Wood is inhabited by:

  • The timid but sometimes brave, Piglet
  • The glum but loveable donkey, Eeyore
  • The bouncy, one-of-a-king, Tigger
  • The loving and gentle, Kanga and her baby Roo
  • The terribly organised Rabbit,
  • The wise, old, Owl, and
  • The scary, honey-stealing Heffalumps!

The timeless and universal appeal of this silly old bear is unparalleled. He’s featured in 3 books, various film adaptations, and much much more.

Could these 50p coins become the most sought-after issues?

We’ve seen some incredible character 50ps in the past, which have been a world-wide hit with collectors.

In 2019, to mark the 20th Anniversary of Julia Donaldson’s much-loved children’s book The Gruffalo®, a new 50p was issued.

This coin was so popular that the silver-proof version completely SOLD OUT at the Royal Mint within 12 hours of its release, making it the fastest selling and most popular 50p ever. That’s a 50p sold every 2 seconds! 

We’ve also seen the huge popularity of the Beatrix Potter 50ps, issued to celebrate the life and work of Beatrix Potter and the 150th Anniversary of her birth.

These coins were so popular amongst collectors, they reached heights that hadn’t been seen since the 2011 Olympic 50p series. Collectors of all ages were racing to add these coins to their collections and to gift them to friends and family.


Fill the gaps in your Winnie the Pooh Collection!

Shop our Winnie the Pooh 50p Collection to fill the gaps in your collection >>

©Disney. Based on the “Winnie the Pooh” works by A. A. Milne and E. H. Shepard.

Agatha Christie £2 celebrates 100 years of mystery!

Agatha Christie’s first novel The Mysterious Affair at Styles was published in 1920 and it kick-started the nation’s love of her detective novels and murder mysteries.

In 2020, to mark 100 years since her first publication, The Royal Mint celebrates the world’s best-selling novelist with the 2020 UK Agatha Christie £2.

2020 UK Agatha Christie £2

2020 UK Agatha Christie £2

David Lawrence’s design of this coin pays homage to Christie’s crime novels, with a piece of a jigsaw slotting into place and her signature at the bottom.

The coin also features the edge inscription ‘100 years of mystery 1920’-2020’ to mark this very special anniversary.

Issued initially as part of the 2020 Commemorative Coin Set, this £2 coin was later individually released in Brilliant Uncirculated quality.

Murder, Mystery, and Masterpieces

Agatha Christie. Credit: Biography.com

After the end of the First World War, Christie published her first novel The Mysterious Affair at Styles. This incredibly popular story introduced readers to one of Christie’s most famous characters – Belgian detective Hercule Poirot*.

Writing well into her later years, Christie wrote more than 70 detective novels as well as short fiction. Her books have been made into films, television, and radio programmes. In 1971, she was made a Dame of the British Empire for her outstanding contribution to Literature.

In 2020, she was celebrated once more with this £2 coin and became another UK author to be commemorated on UK coinage…

2016 Shakespeare £2 Series

2016 Shakespeare £2 Series

William Shakespeare is the most influential literary figure in British history and his works are an important part of Britain’s cultural heritage.

In 2016, a series of three £2 coins were issued to mark the 400th anniversary since his death and to celebrate his greatest works.

Each coin’s design takes inspiration from some of Shakespeare’s greatest works, including Macbeth (pictured right), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (central) and his most-famous love tragedy (pictured left).

All three coins entered circulation but the Comedy £2 has the lowest circulating mintage – just 4,355,000!

2017 Jane Austen

2017 Jane Austen £2

In 2017, to celebrate the life and works of one of Britain’s best-loved authors, The Royal Mint issued this Jane Austen £2.

Jane Austen is one of the best-loved English novelists from the 19th century. Her novels were revolutionary and from her first novel, Sense and Sensibility, readers began a love affair with her fiction that has lasted two centuries.

Designed by Dominique Evans, a portrait of Jane Austen features on the reverse of this coin. It did not enter general circulation and was issued in collector quality only.

2019 Sherlock Holmes 50p

2019 Sherlock Holmes 50p

In 2019, to mark 160 years since the birth of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, The Royal Mint issued this 50p coin.

The prolific writer is best known for his incredibly popular detective stories featuring the fictional Sherlock Holmes™. It is said his works revolutionised the crime genre, and despite Doyle sharing an ambivalent relationship with his famous character, Holmes’ popularity resulted in Doyle becoming one of the best-paid authors of the time.

The reverse has been designed by Stephen Raw and features a silhouette of Sherlock smoking a pipe, surrounded by a few of his most-famous story titles.

It entered general circulation and has a mintage of 8,602,000.

2012 Charles Dickens £2

2012 Charles Dickens £2

The Charles Dickens £2 coin was issued by The Royal Mint in 2012 to commemorate the 200th anniversary of one of Britain’s most famous and beloved writers.

His enchanting stories, vivid characters and depiction of Victorian life are widely acknowledged across the world by critics and scholars alike and his novels and short stories continue to be widely popular.

The design features Dickens’ recognisable profile crafted from the titles of his most famous works and is a favourite amongst collectors.

This coin was released into general circulation and has a mintage of 8,190,000.

2018 Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein £2

2018 Frankenstein £2

This £2 coin was issued by The Royal Mint to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the publication of Mary Shelley’s famous novel Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus.

Whilst on holiday in Geneva Mary Shelley and her poet friends, including Lord Byron and future Husband Percy Shelley, decided to have a competition to see who could write the best horror story. Out of this Mary Shelley created Frankenstein, a story about a scientist’s scary act at playing God and creating life. It went on to become one of the best loved gothic novels.

The reverse of this gothic coin was designed by Thomas Doherty and features the words ‘Frankenstein’ in an electric gothic font. It features the edge inscription, Bicentenary of Mary Shelley’s The Modern Prometheus. It did not enter general circulation.

2016 Beatrix Potter Anniversary 50p

2016 Beatrix Potter Anniversary Coin

To celebrate the 150th anniversary of the birth of Beatrix Potter, the Royal Mint have released this 50p to celebrate Beatrix herself.

Designed by Emma Noble, the coin includes elements that celebrate Beatrix as the artist behind some of the best-loved characters in children’s literature along with the nostalgic font used for the inscription.

This coin entered general circulation and has a mintage of 6,900,000.


We love seeing Britain’s best-loved authors come to life on our UK coins, but which author coin is your favourite? Comment below!


Secure the Agatha Christie £2 in the 2020 Annual Set

This coin is no longer available individually, but you can still secure it as part of the 2020 Annual Coin Set >>