A) Tiger Tank
B) British Mark I
C) Challenger
On September 15th 1916, during the Battle of the Somme, the British used tanks for the very first time in the history of warfare.
Now, on the 100th anniversary, a brand new coin is to be issued to mark the occasion. After special permission from the minting authorities, we’re giving YOU the opportunity to choose which tank will be the subject of this historic new coin.
Tank experts and enthusiasts often differ in their opinion of what best represents this most iconic of fighting vehicles. Is it the fearsome Tiger from WWII? Or the very first tank used in battle 100 years ago – the British Mark I? Or the mainstay of our current armoured divisions, the Challenger 2?
Vote now on the poll below. The winning tank will be announced on these pages shortly where you’ll also have the chance to see the new coin unveiled for the first time and the opportunity to become one of the first collectors in the world to own one. Thanks for voting!
And the winner is…
The winner of the poll was the Mark I WWI tank.
You can now own this impressive new coin featuring this iconic tank which has been issued to mark the 100th anniversary.
A national ballot has just been announced to enable 1,000 lucky collectors the chance to own the Queen’s 90th Birthday £5 Coin for its face value.
The 2016 Queen’s 90th Birthday £5 Coin
The Royal Mint stopped making the nation’s flagship £5 coins available for its face value in 2012. However, the new ballot means that the British public once again has the chance to own the new UK £5 coin for £5.
The History of the £5 Coin
Traditionally, major British events were celebrated with commemorative crowns, which had a face value of 25p, or 5 shillings prior to decimalisation in February 1971. But in 1990 the face value was increased to £5 to give the coin a value consistent with its weight and size.
£5 coins are the flagship coins of the UK and are used to commemorate some of our most important royal events and anniversaries.
The first ever £5 Crown Coin was The Queen Mother’s 90th Birthday Crown Coin, with other popular issues include The Queen and Prince Philip’s 50th Golden Wedding in 1997, The Diana Princess of Wales Memorial Crown in 1999, and the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Trafalgar in 2005.
Commenting on the launch of the ballot, The Westminster Collection Chairman, Stephen Allen said: “I’m delighted to finally be able to offer at least some UK collectors the chance to own the UK £5 coin for its face value”
The ballot opens at 10am on Friday 15th January and will close at 5pm on 29th February.
The ONLY way to own Britain’s new UK £5 for £5
Click here to find out how you can own the 2016 UK 90th Birthday £5 for it’s face value.
One of the most fascinating things about coin collecting is of course the design on the coin – but what about the shape of the coin itself? As minting technology continues to advance, coins are being struck in all kinds of exciting and innovative shapes.
I’ve compiled a selection of coins which I consider to be 10 of the most collectable unusually shaped coins around…
1. The FIRST rugby coin of its kind…
To mark the Rugby World Cup last year, France issued the first ever coin shaped like a rugby ball.
The concave coins proved to be extremely popular with collectors worldwide, with many keen to add a coin with such a unique pedigree to their collections.
2. A coin shaped like a country…
The Perth Mint regularly issue map-shaped coins, taking advantage of their country’s unique and recognisable outline.
This series makes use of purpose-built tooling and die design to give the coin its distinctive shape.
The first coin in the series featured the Kookaburra, issued in 2012, since then there have been a variety of different animals to feature on the coin, with the most recent being the Redback Spider.
3. The ‘Imperial Egg’…
This impressive looking coin boasts beautiful enamelled colour and a shimmering gemstone inlay.
The ‘Imperial Egg’ Coin is based on the work of Fabergé and proved to be very popular with collectors last year, especially during the Easter period.
4. You’ll be lucky to find one of these…
You certainly won’t find this Four-Leaf Clover Coin in a field, no matter how hard you look! Legend has it that Eve took a four-leaf-clover from paradise as a memento for the wonderful time she had spent there – they’ve been considered lucky ever since.
Struck in gold to a proof finish, this cleverly produced coin could certainly be regarded as lucky by collectors who have one in their collection – as it is now highly sought-after.
5. The Earth-shattering coin… 
The extra-terrestrial chondrite that has been set into the centre of this coin was sourced from a meteorite that crash-landed in Morocco in 2005. The space rock shattered into several pieces when it entered the Earth’s atmosphere.
The coin itself has been struck in a concave shape to represent the crater in which the piece of meteorite landed.
6. Is it a coin or is it a bar? It’s both…
This rectangular silver coin-bar features one of the world’s most iconic landmarks – London’s Tower Bridge.
It’s not often that you see coins minted in this shape – the ‘bar’ format is usually reserved for bullion.
This stunning coin boasts intricately detailed engraving and tiny detail can be seen on the Tower Bridge to create windows, clock and brickwork.
7. The poppy-shaped remembrance coin…
This coin’s unique shape and rich red printing on the reverse takes inspiration from the poppy, which has become synonymous throughout the world as a symbol of remembrance and the charitable work of The Royal British Legion.
Issued to commemorate the end of the First World War and to Remember the Fallen, the Poppy Coin is a significant issue that is poignant to many.
8. The coin that sold out in two days…
This remarkable coin is shaped like the iconic Canadian maple leaf, and proved so popular that it sold out at the Royal Canadian Mint in just 2 days.
Canadian Maple Leaf coins are some of the world’s most recognised Silver coins. This issue takes the design to a whole new level, complete with a special wooden display case. A stunning display that would certainly stand out on any mantlepiece!
9. The coin that combines heaven and earth…
Issued in China since 221 BCE, the Chinese Lucky Cash Coin features a square hole at its centre to represent Earth, while the circle symbolises heaven. This combination of heaven and earth make the coin a symbol of harmony and prosperity.
Chinese fortune-tellers would use cash coins, a tortoise shell, and their skill at numerology to tell the future. Because of their association with mystical prediction, these coins from China are thought to bring good luck.
10. And last but not least…
The playful Russian ‘Matryoshka Dolls’ first appeared in the late 19th century, now they’ve been immortalised on a silver coin.
This oval issue is displayed within special bespoke packaging which consists of two traditional wooden nesting dolls placed one inside the other – the coin and packaging are both something that I’ve never come across before!
Are you lucky enough to have any in your collection or have you perhaps seen any that you think should be on the list? Let me know in the comments below.
Want to own an unusual coin?
We still have a small allocation remaining of The Lucky Four Leaf Clover Gold Coin.