Happy New Year and Happy New Coins – 2023 Annual Coin Set JUST ISSUED!

Happy New Year everyone! And with a New Year comes new coins

The Royal Mint has issued 5 brand new UK commemorative coins in their 2023 Annual Coin Set, celebrating some of the most significant anniversaries of the year.

The FIRST 2023 dated coins featuring King Charles III

Importantly, each of the coins in this set will feature the new King Charles III portrait on the obverse for the first time, welcoming a new era of UK coinage.

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2023 Annual Coin Set featuring King Charles III’s portrait

King Charles III 75th Birthday £5

The first coin in the set is a brand new £5 coin, issued to celebrate King Charles III’s 75th Birthday. The King will celebrate his milestone birthday on 14th November, this along with his coronation on 6th May is sure to make 2023 a monumental year for His Majesty.

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King Charles III 75th Birthday £5 Coin

This £5 coin pays tribute to the newly crowned monarch with a heraldic design that’s been approved by His Majesty, along with an edge inscription on the precious metal editions reading ‘RESTORING HARMONY WITH NATURE’.

75 Years of the NHS 50p

To mark the 75th anniversary of the NHS, a brand new UK 50p has been issued. The design features just some of the words that can be used to describe our incredible NHS, such as dedication, hope, respect, compassion and dignity.

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75 Years of the NHS 50p

What’s more, The Royal Mint will be donating 100% of proceeds from the NHS 50p to NHS Charities, meaning that a portion of your purchase will go directly to providing extra support for staff, patients and NHS communities.

The Windrush Generation 50p

The second 50p in the set marks 75 years since the HMT Empire Windrush arrived at Tilbury Docks. The ship has become symbolic of its passengers and their subsequent generations who have played a pivotal role in shaping the United Kingdom since the Second World War.

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Windrush Generation 50p

Designed by artist Valda Jackson, the 50p depicts 2 of the ship’s passengers set against a backdrop of the Union Jack.

J R R Tolkein £2

The first new £2 coin has been issued to mark 50 years since the death of one of the most famous authors in British history, J R R Tolkein. Best known for creating The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, Tolkein led a popular resurgence of the fantasy genre, leading to him being identified as the ‘father of modern fantasy literature’.

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JRR Tolkien £2

In honour of his intellect and imagination, this £2 features Tolkein’s unique monogram surrounded by an incredibly detailed runic band and the quote ‘NOT ALL THOSE WHO WANDER ARE LOST’ as the edge inscription.

Flying Scotsman £2

The last coin in the set is another £2, this one celebrating 100 years of the world record holding locomotive, the Flying Scotsman. Built in 1923 at Doncaster Works, the Flying Scotsman was the first locomotive to officially reach 100mph, the first to circumnavigate the globe and break the record for the longest non stop run in a steam locomotive.

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Flying Scotsman £2

The coin’s design features the iconic locomotive along with the years 1923-2023 and its LNER number, 4472. The edge inscription also reads ‘LIVE FOR THE JOURNEY’.

Secure the 2023 Annual Set

The 2023 Annual Coin set is available in Silver Proof, Gold Proof, DateStamp, Proof quality and of course, brilliant uncirculated quality.

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Gold Proof 2023 Annual Set

Securing the 2023 Annual Set is the only way to own these commemorative UK coins before they’re individually released later in the year, so to be one of the first to have these coins in your collection, click here >>

Everything you need to know about the limited edition Nursery Rhymes collection

Have you heard the news?

A brand new LIMITED EDITION collection celebrating your best loved nursery rhymes has just been released.

Be it Twinkle twinkle little star or Incy Wincy Spider, why not test your knowledge and see how many from the collection you still remember?

Trust me, you’ll be singing them again no time. I know I certainly was…

Watch my latest video to find out everything you need to know about this must have collection…


If you’re interested

DN 2020 Nursey Rhymes Heptagonal Commemorative Set homepage banner 1 1024x386 - Everything you need to know about the limited edition Nursery Rhymes collection

Click here to order the LIMITED EDITION Nursery Rhymes Commemorative for the incy wincy price of £29.99 (+p&p) >>

Are you more of a Rabbit, Tiger or Ox?

I don’t know about you, but one of my guilty pleasures is reading my daily horoscope in the hope it will reveal what my future holds. Today’s was scarily accurate, as it claimed I would excel with some personal writing and here I am penning this blog – I hope you enjoy reading!

But regardless of whether you’re a staunch zodiac reader, or a firm believer in taking fate into your own hands, I don’t doubt that we’re all familiar with it and could probably rattle off our star sign when asked.

But perhaps lesser known in Western culture is the Chinese Lunar Calendar and the 12 legendary animals that represent it.

The Chinese Lunar Calendar

More commonly known as the Chinese Zodiac, it is believed the Chinese Lunar Calendar begun around 2600 B.C. and is related to the worship of animals in Chinese culture. Legend has it before departing to the next life, Buddha asked every animal on the planet to comfort him and the twelve animals (including the rabbit, tiger and ox) that responded are now honoured in the lunar calendar that spans 12 years – one animal for every year.

Chinese Zodiac SIgns - Are you more of a Rabbit, Tiger or Ox?
Image credit: http://airportshuttlecapetown.blogspot.com/2019/12/what-does-your-chinese-zodiac-sign-say.html

Much like the Western Zodiac, your lunar animal sign depends when you’re born. And people born in specific lunar years are believed to have certain personality traits and characteristics related to their animal.

Turns out I was born in the Year of the Sheep – so I’m creative, compassionate, and friendly. I’d say that’s fairly accurate!

The incredible popularity of Lunar Coins

For over 40 years Mints from around the world have celebrated Chinese New Year with Lunar Coins. These issues have turned in to something of an international phenomenon, to the point where the lunar theme is the largest ongoing coin programme on the planet.

Most prestigious mints have a lunar series, including Australia, Canada, and of course our own Royal Mint here in the UK. With each selling millions of ounces of gold and silver coins each year inscribed with the year’s relevant lunar animal.

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Image credit: http://www.perthmintbullion.com/blog/blog.aspx?CntTagID=9a15a4fa-189b-4da3-bfff-2de2667eabec

Collectors will snap these coins up for a variety of reasons. Some collect their own lunar animal, because they like the personal connection, others will collect a particular specification because it’s especially limited. Personally, I find they also make great birthday gifts for obvious reasons – my friends love them.

The Year of the Ox

The 12th February 2021 will mark the Chinese New Year, and with it the next lunar animal will be celebrated – the Ox.

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The Lunar Year of the Ox 1oz Silver Proof Coin

The Ox is the second animal in the Chinese Zodiac, and people who are born under the sign of the Ox are thought to be dependable, strong, and determined. Oxen are also notoriously hard-working and live long, fulfilled lives.

If this sounds like you the odds are that you’re born under the sign of the Ox. And this year your lunar animal will be celebrated on lunar coins all around the world.

What’s more, The Royal Mint has just released their brand new Year of the Ox range, including what’s perhaps the most sought-after specification of all – the 1oz Silver Proof Coin.


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If you’re interested…

You can own the BRAND NEW Royal Mint Lunar Coin TODAY – the 1oz Silver Proof Year of the Ox coin.

This coin is sure to be the most sought-after yet because not only is the 1oz Silver Proof a key specification for collectors, but last year’s coin completely SOLD OUT! In fact, previous issues in the series with far higher edition limits have also sold out, so we don’t expect to be able to offer this latest edition for long.

Click here to find out more and secure one for your collection today >>