Posts Tagged ‘Royal Mint’
The UK’s NEW Coinage
The coins that we use every day are changing.
From the 1p to the £2, eight new coins will soon be entering our pockets and our piggy banks.
So, as we welcome the new era of King Charles III, both the ‘heads’ and ‘tails’ of our circulating coins will have brand new designs.
Read on to unveil The Royal Mint’s brand-new designs, learn about the history of Definitive coins and why this is the biggest change for British coins in 15 years…
The Coins of a New ‘Carolean’ Era
The coins, each designed by The Royal Mint, have been authorised by HM treasury and approved by King Charles III himself.
Over the past seven decades, our circulating coinage has undergone many changes, showcasing five different portraits of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II on the obverse, and two distinct reverse designs.
And even though we have seen His Majesty’s effigy on the obverse of several commemorative issues, this will be the first time we’ll see his portrait on the coins we find in our everyday change.
All reverse designs share a unique feature, setting each denomination against a stylised logo with 3 interlocking ‘Cs’, representing King Charles III.
Before they gradually enter circulation, The Royal Mint have introduced the first strike of these coins in commemorative quality – with a special Privy Mark…
Inspired by Our Natural World
What’s more, each coin embodies King Charles III’s passion for nature & sustainability, presenting various symbols of Britain’s vast wildlife on the reverse designs. Having been a Patron of The Wildlife Trust since 1977, Charles’ affiliation for the natural world was a key inspiration for the designs of the UK’s new coinage.
The new £2 coin design represents the union of the United Kingdom with intermingling flowers from the four nations of the UK: the Rose, the Thistle, the Daffodil, and the Shamrock.
For the £1, 50p, 20p, 10p, 2p, and 1p, The Royal Mint have thoughtfully translated various wildlife creatures into innovative reverse designs.
For example, the £1 coin presents a pair of Bees, the 50p showcases a Salmon in water, the 20p a Puffin, the 10p a Scottish Capercaillie, 2p a Red Squirrel, and the 1p a sleeping Dormouse.
Finally, the 5p coin features a stunning combination of oak leaves and acorns – a perfect tribute to our natural world and England’s national tree.
The History of ‘Definitive’ Coinage
The eight different coin denominations which make up our everyday change (1p, 2p, 5p, 10p, 20p, 50p, £1, £2) began circulating in 1971. This followed Britain’s shift towards Decimalisation, a plan which had been in the making for over 10 years.
Multiple artists participated in a private design competition, and among them was Christopher Ironside, the chosen designer of the decimal coins. Ironside’s designs remained on the reverse of the definitive coins for 40 years, until Matt Dent proposed the idea of spreading the Shield of the Royal Arms over the definitive coins in 2005.
“This piecing together of the elements of the Royal Arms to form one design had a satisfying symbolism – that of unity, four countries of Britain under a single monarch.” – Matt Dent
A Special Touch for Collectors…
The best part is, you can now secure the commemorative editions of the UK’s new coinage.
And in addition to new designs on both faces, these coins also feature a distinctive ‘Privy Mark’ on the obverse, a unique and sought-after element.
Designed to distinguish these coins from the ones you’ll eventually find in circulation, the first commemorative strikes display a delicate crown positioned alongside the effigy of His Majesty.
From the official Brilliant Uncirculated pack, to the prestigious Proof Set, or the strictly limited DateStampTM, you can click here to view the range with prices starting from £33 (+p&p) and secure yours before it’s too late >
Celebrating the Women Who Shaped History: The Suffragettes
The 19th century saw many political changes, but there was always one constant: women were not allowed to vote in national elections.
It took decades and many different campaign groups to raise awareness of the inequality. In fact, it wasn’t until 1918 that women over thirty were granted the right to vote.
But now, over 100 years later, we can reflect on the brave work of the Suffragettes who have shaped the modern world into what is today.
Read on to learn about the importance of the Suffragettes movement and how you can preserve their story for generations to come with this Historic Collection…
Who were the Suffragettes and What Did They Do?
Following the 1867 vote, the London Society for Women’s Suffrage was formed to peacefully protest for the right for women’s votes. In 1897, their group expanded to form the National Union of Women’s Suffrage Societies (NUWSS). This campaign group was led by Millicent Fawcett, the sister of Elizabeth Garrett-Anderson, the first female doctor in the UK.
After little success from both groups, Emmeline Pankhurst and her daughters Christabel and Sylvie, formed the Women’s Social and Political Union (WSPU) in 1903. They became known as the Suffragettes, as they used harsher, more direct tactics to raise awareness.
The movement saw great success, granting women over thirty the right to vote as part of the Representation of the People Act in 1918.
The SELL-OUT Royal Mint Coins
In 2003, The Royal Mint issued a Silver Proof 50p coin to commemorate the centenary of the establishment of the Women’s Social and Political Union.
Even with an edition limit of 15,000, they all swiftly sold-out at The Mint.
Following this success, The Royal Mint issued a new UK 50p in 2018, this time marking 100 years since the passing of the Representation of the People Act, and it was just as popular.
In fact, all of the 2018 Representation of the People Act 50p coin specifications are no longer available at The Mint.
But today, you can secure BOTH coins in a complete Suffragettes collection alongside an extra special historic coin…
The Historic 1918 Half Crown
Also included in this Suffragettes Historic Collection is a genuine UK 1918 Half Crown. Struck from Sterling Silver, this coin was issued in the year that the Representation of the People Act was passed.
But, considering this coin was also struck in the final year of World War One, they are extremely scarce and rarely appear on the secondary market.
Suffragettes Memorabilia
But this collection doesn’t stop there, as this historic set also houses replicas of Suffragettes memorabilia, truly transporting you back to the time when women made history.
Whether it’s a 1915 Votes for Women newspaper, Suffragettes Membership card, jail letter, a relic of Emily Davidson’s tragic demise at Epsom, or even the flyer of the Buckingham Palace protest – these replicas capture the most poignant moments of the Suffragettes movement.
Secure yours Suffragettes Collection NOW!
Considering these coins are either no longer available to buy from the Mint or extremely hard to source on the secondary market, this collection was nearly impossible to create.
And with just 41 remaining, this is one you don’t want to miss out on.
New UK £2 released featuring Ada Lovelace
When you think of the original pioneers of computer science, names like Charles Babbage and Alan Turing might come to mind.
But what if we were to tell you that there was someone else who played a pivotal role in building the foundations of modern computing – Ada Lovelace.
Nicknamed ‘The Enchantress of Numbers’ by Charles Babbage himself, Ada Lovelace is the next innovator in science to be honoured on a brand-new UK £2.
First, let me take you back…
A Mathematical Talent
Ada Lovelace was born in Victorian England and quickly gained an interest in mathematics and science. At the age of just 18, Ada’s mathematical talent secured her a working position alongside ‘The Father of Computers’ himself, Charles Babbage.
This allowed Ada to focus her work on something revolutionary: Babbage’s Analytical Engine – the first ever computer.
A Visionary of the Computer Age
At the time, Charles Babbage and other scientists only focused on the numerical and calculating abilities of the famous Analytical Engine. But, Ada Lovelace had other ideas…
She was a critical thinker and knew that the computer had the possibility to go beyond number-crunching; she interpreted the machinery further than anyone else was even considering at the time…
Ultimately, she concluded that the Analytical Engine could manipulate more than just numbers. In fact, it could be used for letters, symbols, and most importantly – instructions.
This built the foundations of modern computing as we very know it.
Ada Lovelace’s revolutionary contributions were revealed to the industry in 1843 in the form of seven ‘Notes’. In these Notes, Lovelace provided comprehension, calculations and inputs about the machine and its abilities – resulting in her title as the first ever computer programmer.
And now, to honour such a revolutionary mindset, Ada Lovelace is being celebrated on a brand-new UK £2 coin.
The Ada Lovelace £2 Coin Range
Commemorating Ada’s contributions to computer science, she’s earnt herself a well-deserved place in The Royal Mint’s popular Innovation in Science coin series.
With a design that depicts the original punch cards that were used to programme the Analytical Engine, the coin’s reverse also reads a quote from Lovelace herself – “a discoverer of the hidden realities of nature”.
What’s more, this UK £2 coin range comes in a range of specifications…
From the collector’s favourite – Brilliant Uncirculated quality – to the stunning Silver Proof and Silver Piedfort specifications, there’s something for everyone.
But be warned – with extremely low edition limits and even less for Westminster Collectors, you’ll have to act fast to secure yours!