According to the Sun newspaper, HM Treasury is backing a proposal to issue coins for Brexit. The idea has been submitted to the Royal Mint Sub-Committee on the Selection of themes for UK coins.
This is reasonably unexpected as it is known that a few months ago the Royal Mint and Royal Mint Advisory Committee themselves still had no plans for the issuance of such coins.
Interesting. Seeing how divisive the whole thing has been.
What are they going to put on it? Nigel Farage smiling with a pint behind the US flag? The "$350 million will go to the NHS" poster? A middle finger next to a map of the EU? A pound sign and an arrow pointing down?
Seems like an issue coins should stay a long way away from.
Hmm, a "trade" theme?
(OK, the text along the rim would have to be modified a little. ;D )
Christian
In 2019 the UK will issue amongst others the following commemorative coins:
50 Pence - Sherlock Holmes. Silhouette of Sherlock Holmes surrounded by titles of the books.
2 Pounds - Samuel Pepys - His handwriting on the last page of his book.
2 Pounds - D-day - Map depicting Normandy beaches and their names.
2 Pounds - 250th anniversary of Captain James Cook's travels.
5 Pounds - 200 years since the birth of Queen Victoria.
I can understand the issue of the Pepys £2 coin. The detailed private diary that Pepys kept from 1 Jan 1660 until 31 May 1669 is one of the most important primary sources for the English Restoration period. Concerned about failing eyesight (that proved unfounded as he still had his eyesight at his death 34 years later) his final entry was:
"And so I betake myself to that course, which is almost as much as to see myself go into my grave: for which, and all the discomforts that will accompany my being blind, the good God prepare me!"
But I am not too clear on the rationale for Sherlock Holmes 50p coin other than its the 160th Anniversary of the birth of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, which is an unusual anniversary to celebrate.
I wonder if the 2019 Captain Cook coin design will be limited to the observation of the transit of Venus or include the charting of New Zealand which actually spanned 1769 & 1770.
In Jan 1769 Cook rounded Cape Horn, entering the Pacific phase of his outward voyage. One of the aims of the expedition was to observe the 1769 transit of Venus (the passing of Venus between Earth and Sun) from Tahiti, which they reached on 13 Apr 1769. The primary purpose of the observation was to obtain measurements that could be used to calculate more accurately the distance of Venus from the Sun, and on 3 Jun the observation went without a hitch.
Cook then charted the neighbouring islands naming them the Society Islands (now known as the Leeward Group of the Society Islands), all being protected by surrounding reefs and home to friendly inhabitants. Endeavour departed the Society Islands on 9 Aug 1769 and headed south under a second set of orders, which came in a sealed packet from the Admiralty. These instructed him to search for new lands, including the 'Great Southern Continent.'
Failing to sight the postulated southern continent at a latitude of 40degS, Endeavour turned west and on 7 Oct 1769 reached New Zealand. Cook's cabin boy Nicholas Young was the first to sight the eastern seaboard of NZ's North Island and the point is logged as Young Nick's Head (just north of Hawke's Bay). The following six months were spent mapping the NZ coastlines, describing the soils, plants and animals and developing relationships with the local Maori people.
The occasion for the D-day commemorative is also not too clear. Yes, it was 75 years ago, but if that's sufficient reason, why is there no commemorative for the YMCA (established in London in 1844), the first organisation ever for young men (unless you want to count classical Greek gymnasia)? Or for The Female Spectator, the first women's magazine, started in 1744?
Peter
Quote from: eurocoin on June 29, 2018, 02:08:31 PM
50 Pence - Sherlock Holmes. Silhouette of Sherlock Holmes surrounded by titles of the books.
A silhouette surrounded by a lot of text. Likely designed by Matthew Dent. :(
"Silhouette of Sherlock Holmes surrounded by titles of the books."
There were only 4 Sherlock novels. The rest being short stories (56 in total).
A Study in Scarlet,
The Sign of Four,
The Hound of the Baskervilles,
The Valley of Fear.
In 2019, the Royal Mint will issue a commemorative 2 pounds coin for the 260th anniversary of the company Wedgwood. The coin will depict a vase.
Furthermore a series of 5 pounds coin will be issued for the Tower of London. The coins will depict respectively a Yeoman Warder, the Crown of Mary of Modena, Raven, and Queen Elizabeth's keys and a lamp. All of the coins will also depict a piece of a plan of Mint Street.
Interesting family, the Wedgwoods. Charles Darwin married his cousin, Emma Wedgwood, who was the granddaughter of Josiah Wedgwood. Anthony Wedgwood Benn, the late left-wing politician, better known as Tony Benn, was distantly related to the family.
260th anniversary? Some barrel-scraping there. Presumably it wasn't considered worthy enough to mark the 250th, but ten years on and anything goes, so to hell with the fact that 260 years isn't really a significant number.
At long last our prayers have been heard. I have just received word that there will be no 2019-dated Beatrix Potter 50p coins.
The Royal Mint late last week refused to comment but one of the companies involved in the project this evening informed me it is finally over.
Quote from: eurocoin on October 23, 2018, 11:03:06 PM
At long last our prayers have been heard. I have just received word that there will be no 2019-dated Beatrix Potter 50p coins.
The Royal Mint late last week refused to comment but one of the companies involved in the project this evening informed me it is finally over.
Good riddance to bad rubbish :)
It's good news but I'm sure there will be some other rubbish to replace it next year.
Quote from: Alan71 on October 24, 2018, 08:14:10 AM
It's good news but I'm sure there will be some other rubbish to replace it next year.
How about Enid Blyton's Noddy. 70th anniversary of the first book in 2019 - 'Noddy Goes to Toyland'. Plenty of characters in the series!!!!!
Quote from: Deeman on October 24, 2018, 09:13:27 AM
How about Enid Blyton's Noddy. 70th anniversary of the first book in 2019 - 'Noddy Goes to Toyland'. Plenty of characters in the series!!!!!
If they did, I think it's safe to predict that Mr Golly wouldn't be one of them!
The Royal Mint will next year issue a commemorative 50p coin for Brexit. The reverse of the coin is expected to bear the sentence "Friendship with all nations". Further details on the coin are expected to be released later today by HM Treasury as part of the presentation of the annual Budget.
Suspect the Brexit coin will have a substantial mintage and will rapidly enter into circulation.
I like the fact that the message will be positive. "Friendship with all nations" is nice. The spoof Brexit coin designs I've seen since 2016 are all quite negative and probably originate from remainers.
The Sun newspaper is claiming this as a victory for themselves as they've apparently been campaigning for such a coin.
Quote from: Alan71 on October 29, 2018, 04:03:04 PM
The Sun newspaper is claiming this as a victory for themselves as they've apparently been campaigning for such a coin.
It is better to ignore any and all fake news that has been spread about this coin today.
Quote from: eurocoin on October 29, 2018, 04:08:34 PM
It is better to ignore any and all fake news that has been spread about this coin today.
Oh, don't get me wrong, I don't read The Sun and never have, and certainly don't believe it's being issued because of them!
It's kind of poignant that the 50p will mark the departure, considering it commemorated our entry in 1973 plus some other significant events in the 1990s.
HM Treasury has just unveiled the design of the Brexit 50p coin that will be issued in the Spring of next year. It looks horrible.
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1976/43801815680_c52927eb1a_o.jpg)
Thanks Niels.
I really like coins with just text.
I wouldn't say it looks horrible but I'm not keen on coins with just text. I like the fact that the date is on it though, making it absolutely clear what it's commemorating.
I might have preferred the words going around the edge, with some sort of symbol in the middle (but I'm not sure what - certainly not 27 hands waving goodbye...)
I hope this coin is in the annual sets and not just a separate issue, but I imagine it's too late to include in those.
I do not like text-only coins. On top of that as for this coin I don't understand why it has to look so womanish. Surely they could have chosen a better font.
I don't like this one at all. The font is the sort that you find in cheap and sentimental greetings cards. The platitudes in the message are banal. Did they ask a teenager to think this up? And the illustration could have been more realistic. Even editing it doesn't help much.
(http://www.worldofcoins.eu/forum/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=4001.0;attach=73071;image)
50 pence, 2005.
The 250th anniversary of Samuel Johnson's "A Dictionary of the English Language".
(http://www.worldofcoins.eu/forum/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=4001.0;attach=32060;image)
UK, 2 pounds, 2011. 400th anniversary of the publication of King James' Bible.
Some text-only designs look good. The Johnson Dictionary 50p is excellent.
Quote from: eurocoin on October 29, 2018, 07:33:37 PM
I do not like text-only coins. On top of that as for this coin I don't understand why it has to look so womanish. Surely they could have chosen a better font.
"Womanish" isn't the right word to use but certainly I know what you mean. The over-elaborate font is trying to make up for the fact that there's nothing else to the design.
I imagine the reverse would need to carry the denomination but not the 2019 date as that's already taken care of.
The 1998 EU stars 50p is the only EU-related 50p still in circulation and it's rarely seen much after 20 years. It was the first commemorative circulation coin to be issued in the same year as another (the NHS one) as well as the standard version.
Agree with previous comments on the Brexit coin. Very little imagination shown in the design.
It's a very meaningless message indeed. What exactly does it convey? Not that the current situation is a great story in general. " Celebrating british Independence" is probably a tad much; Maybe they could have said something like "not lovers, just good friends" or "honey I like you, but can be have a pillow between us? I don't like to spoon". Admittently the second one is long winded for a coin
It is not impossible to make a text-only design look good. This one however is a disappointment. I can't help but to think that the artist didn't really appreciate the subject.
Text only designs are becoming increasingly regular in UK.
There could be many reasons but I think the work involved in organising a competition and selecting the best is so time consuming that it is preferred to skip that and issue in-house designs.
You have to admire the British humour.
I do! Can we have those at least in chocolate? :)
Peter
In 2019 the Royal Mint will reissue a number of previously issued commemorative 50p coins. The new coins will be dated 2019.
The following coins will be reissued:
Britannia (standard), Kew Gardens, Battle of Britain, D-Day, Victoria Cross (2), Battle of Hastings, Roger Bannister (4 minute mile), Scouting, Girlguiding.
There will also be a commemorative 50p for the 20th anniversary of the publication of the book the Gruffalo. The coin will feature the Gruffalo.
I think I'm going to have to give up coin collecting! What is the reason for rereleasing these 50p's??!
Quote from: eurocoin on November 09, 2018, 02:42:05 PM
In 2019 the Royal Mint will reissue a number of previously issued commemorative 50p coins. The new coins will be dated 2019.
The following coins will be reissued:
Britannia (standard), Kew Gardens, Battle of Britain, D-Day, Victoria Cross (2), Battle of Hastings, Roger Bannister (4 minute mile), Scouting, Girlguiding.
Slight reduction when compared to the issue for the 40th anniversary of the introduction of the 50p coin in 2009. These were:
Britannia fifty new pence (1969), EEC (1973), Britannia (1982), European Presidency (1992), D-Day 50th anniversary (1994), 25th anniversary of joining EEC (1998), NHS (1998), Public Libraries Act (2000), Suffragettes (2003), Four-minute mile (2004), English dictionary (2005), Victoria Cross (2006), Heroic acts (2006), Scouts (2007), Picture-puzzle shield (2008), Kew Gardens (2009).
Hope a BU set will be available, whereas in 2009 it was a 16-coin silver proof set.
Quote from: Col1n666 on November 09, 2018, 03:09:55 PM
I think I'm going to have to give up coin collecting! What is the reason for rereleasing these 50p's??!
For the money you spend on new UK issues, you can afford very interesting pre-decimal UK coins, so many third century Romans you'll quake or a load of great fun Georgian British Commonwealth coins, to give only a few examples.
Peter
Quote from: eurocoin on November 09, 2018, 03:00:09 PM
There will also be a commemorative 50p for the 20th anniversary of the publication of the book the Gruffalo. The coin will feature the Gruffalo.
Surely the design will include the leading character - the wee, sleekit, tim'rous beastie!
Quote from: Deeman on November 09, 2018, 03:54:56 PM
Hope a BU set will be available, whereas in 2009 it was a 16-coin silver proof set.
There was a base metal proof set in 2009 too, same 16 coins. That's the version I have. Issue price was £195, but that was before the Royal Mint's steep hyke in prices.
The 2019 set is an odd selection of coins. Guessing the Britannia version will be the 1982-onwards variant and not the original, so it only leaves the D-Day one from the days of the larger 50p.
Quote from: eurocoin on November 09, 2018, 02:42:05 PM
In 2019 the Royal Mint will reissue a number of previously issued commemorative 50p coins. The new coins will be dated 2019.
The following coins will be reissued:
Britannia (standard), Kew Gardens, Battle of Britain, D-Day, Victoria Cross (2), Battle of Hastings, Roger Bannister (4 minute mile), Scouting, Girlguiding.
This is bad, bad practice. Indian mints tried doing that but it was criticized by many.
Since the British coins will be having a new dates, you can't even call them re-strikes! (Indian mints issued proof sets with original issue year)
Aditya
I am in the other corner. This will help type collectors. The Kew garden thingy is a very good example. It was hyped to boredom when the UK mint declared it scarce and fakes showed up. With a re-issue, at least a degree of normalcy is restored. Collectors profit, the get-rich-quickly crowd is punished. That appeals to my sense of justice. ;)
Peter
Quote from: Figleaf on November 10, 2018, 08:08:15 AM
I am in the other corner. This will help type collectors. The Kew garden thingy is a very good example. It was hyped to boredom when the UK mint declared it scarce and fakes showed up. With a re-issue, at least a degree of normalcy is restored. Collectors profit, the get-rich-quickly crowd is punished. That appeals to my sense of justice. ;)
It will be issued in quite low numbers though, I would imagine, so once they're sold out the get-rich-quickly crowd will be flogging them on eBay. There are ten coins in the set so if there is a BU set at all, it's likely to be issued at about £100. A base metal proof version probably £250. Perhaps I'm over-estimating the prices but I'd put nothing past the Royal Mint.
I speculate the ring-of-hands design would have made it had the UK not been exiting the EU, and perhaps even the EU conference table or stars designs.
The obverse legend on the 2019 set Kew Gardens will differ in that in the 2009 set which was issued on the actual anniversary date (2009 appearing on the reverse).
It will probably be 'Elizabeth II D G Reg F D 50 pence 2019', as will be the Battle of Britain and Battle of Hastings coins.
The other coins in the 2019 set having 'Elizabeth II D G Reg F D 2019' since the value appears on the reverse.
Quote from: Deeman on November 10, 2018, 11:12:14 AM
The other coins in the 2019 set having 'Elizabeth II D G Reg F D 2019' since the value appears on the reverse.
Minor point but it's more likely to be the current (expanded) standard inscription of Elizabeth II Dei Gra Reg Fid Def 2019.
Quote from: Figleaf on November 10, 2018, 08:08:15 AM
I am in the other corner. This will help type collectors. The Kew garden thingy is a very good example. It was hyped to boredom when the UK mint declared it scarce and fakes showed up. With a re-issue, at least a degree of normalcy is restored. Collectors profit, the get-rich-quickly crowd is punished. That appeals to my sense of justice. ;)
Peter
IMO, that would have helped if the coin(s) were to have the same issue date as the original issue, which is unfortunately not the case. A new date means a new variety and collectors will now go frenzy after both. ;) And if the mintage of newly minted coins is limited as Alan said, then that's even worse...
Aditya
Quote from: Bimat on November 10, 2018, 03:03:48 PM
A new date means a new variety and collectors will not go frenzy after both. ;) And if the mintage of newly minted coins is limited as Alan said, then that's even worse...
Something isn't rare until the mint says it is nowadays, I presume these will be collector coins only (like the 40th anniversary set in 2009) so there will not be the demand for them.
Quote from: andyg on November 10, 2018, 11:33:10 PM
Something isn't rare until the mint says it is nowadays, I presume these will be collector coins only (like the 40th anniversary set in 2009) so there will not be the demand for them.
I was under impression that those will be loose unc coins, and will be technically issued for circulation. If it's going to be a BU set or any other version of it, then I'll let it go this time too...
Aditya
Quote from: Bimat on November 11, 2018, 07:20:23 AM
I was under impression that those will be loose unc coins, and will be technically issued for circulation.
Extremely unlikely. As the Mint is now producing commemoratives that are explicitly stated as not being issued for circulation, it's almost a dead cert that these won't be. The 2009 ones weren't. Of the 10 coins, only the D-Day one is reaching a (fairly) significant anniversary next year of the event it commemorates (75 years). For that reason, I'd like to see that circulate but it won't.
Andyg has a point there... the perceived rarity of a coin is partly because of the fact it does/did circulate but in small numbers. It's possible but extremely unlikely to find a 2009 Kew Gardens in change, but it's desirable precisely because it circulated. There are a number of coins this year that aren't being issued for circulation but as this has already been confirmed, those who want them will be buying them now in the packs. Kew was announced long after the event when it was too late for most people, hence the mad scramble and the silly prices for any sets it appeared in.
There might be some interest in this new set because of the Kew Gardens coin (and perhaps the D-Day one) - but the likely high issue price of this might mean it's still cheaper to find any 2009 set with it in, or even the single (genuine) coin.
Even for me, this new set is much less desirable than the 2009 one. That set was irresistible as it had the four large-size only designs issued on the smaller coin for the first time, and all paired with the Rank-Broadley portrait. In the case of the Ring-of-hands one, it was on frosted proof for the first time (though disappointingly altered to add visible arms). This new set still has the D-Day coin from the large coin era, but been there, done that, and the fact that they're now all paired with the Jody Clark portrait instead of the Rank-Broadley isn't something to write home about.
Contradicting what I said in a previous post I know...
I agree with Alan71 that the 50p anniversary coin set is a bit of a mish-mash. A more apt set would have been 5 coins comprising Britannia (1982), D-Day 50th anniversary (1994), Victoria Cross (2006), Heroic acts (2006) and Battle of Britain (2015) since 2019 is the 75th anniversary of D-Day.
I would like to emphasize that in contrary to what people appear to be thinking both here and on social media, there is no evidence whatsoever that the coins will not be released into circulation.
Quote from: Figleaf on November 09, 2018, 05:42:24 PM
For the money you spend on new UK issues, you can afford very interesting pre-decimal UK coins, so many third century Romans you'll quake or a load of great fun Georgian British Commonwealth coins, to give only a few examples.
Peter
Or enough unidentified tokens to put your back out and then have fun attributing them while you're recuperating. ;D
A Royal Mint Facebook post appears to confirm that, like the 2009 50p set, the 2019 ones will be proof only:
"We are pleased to confirm that we will be releasing two special sets of 5 proof 50p coins to celebrate 50 years of the 50p. To be the first to hear more details of the official sets, please register your interest at https://www.royalmint.com/50-years-of-50p?utm_source=hootsuite&utm_medium=facebook&utm_campaign= #numismatic #collection "
May still be SYO too.
Change Checker appears to confirm that the version of Britannia included in these sets will be the original "New Pence" design. Again, it says it's unknown if these coins will be issued for circulation, but it seems unlikely that any saying "New Pence" will be.
https://www.changechecker.org/2018/11/20/the-royal-mint-to-re-issue-the-uks-rarest-50p?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=the%20royal%20mint%20to%20re%20issue%20the%20uks%20rarest%2050p&utm_content
I'm with you Alan71. No idea as to what SYO stands for!
SYO is Strike Your Own at the Royal Mint Experience.
Quote from: eurocoin on November 21, 2018, 11:59:55 AM
SYO is Strike Your Own at the Royal Mint Experience.
Ah yes, that's a possibility.
There's only three coins in these sets that I'd be interested in... the Britannia "New Pence", the D-Day and Kew Gardens.
These are almost certainly the first Royal Mint issues influenced by Brexit... I wonder which of the three EEC/EC/EU designs would have made it? I speculate the rather boring starburst design from 1998 would have been here. The ring-of-hands would have been out-of-date with only depicting nine hands (though still workable with the 1973 date) and the 1992-93 Conference table was slightly controversial as it depicted the chairs at different angles, which suggested disagreements (plus it's also out-of-date in terms of countries now in it).
A bit disappointing that the NHS coin isn't there but both Scouts and Guides are.
There are four portraits on the normal 50p, ie, Britannia and then the Rank-Broadley has two "normal" designs, the shield jigsaw and Britannia.
That'd be my guess for the five coins.
From January 1, the Britannia 'New pence' 50p will be the Strike Your Own coin at the Royal Mint Experience.
Thanks eurocoin. I'd really like that coin but not sure I can stomach a third visit to the Experience. Hopefully an eBay purchase will still work out the same or not much more than the petrol to Cardiff and a night at a hotel.
The design of the D-Day 2 pounds coin has now been leaked. It looks nice:
(https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7864/44692673420_b33a2ef71b_z.jpg)
All of the other designs have now been leaked too.
(https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7808/44692673340_cf5dfc2773_z.jpg)
(https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7814/46457739712_6eda6fff31_z.jpg)
There is more..
(https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7868/45785951784_d63fc0938b_z.jpg)
(https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7877/45785951854_c950ab74a2_z.jpg)
Thanks for the images eurocoin.
There appears to be no meaningful reason for the Sherlock Holmes & Wedgwood coins. The designs are uninspiring. The Royal Mint decision making in opting for these topics is suspect.
However, I think they have done a good job with the D-Day anniversary, and I like the Samuel Pepys design but the hand and quill would have been better shown smaller.
Thank you eurocoin!
All of the images have now been replaced with better copies without the ugly marks.
Quote from: eurocoin on December 27, 2018, 09:24:43 PM
The design of the D-Day 2 pounds coin has now been leaked.
And some of the code words for D-Day were leaked. They appeared in a Telegraph crossword of 1944.
Who put secret D-Day clues in the 'Telegraph' crossword? (https://www.telegraph.co.uk/history/world-war-two/10789884/Who-put-secret-D-Day-clues-in-the-Telegraph-crossword.html)
Quote from: <k> on December 29, 2018, 12:13:35 PM
And some of the code words for D-Day were leaked. They appeared in a Telegraph crossword of 1944.
Who put secret D-Day clues in the 'Telegraph' crossword? (https://www.telegraph.co.uk/history/world-war-two/10789884/Who-put-secret-D-Day-clues-in-the-Telegraph-crossword.html)
Very interesting.
The Sherlock Holmes 50p was designed by Stephen Raw, the D-Day coin by Stephen Taylor, the Samuel Pepys coin by Gary Breeze and the Victoria coin by John Bergdahl.
It is unknown who designed the Wedgwood coin. Interesting how the Wedgwood logo is hidden in the design on that coin.
The Strike Your Own new pence 50p in its packaging. The price of them has increased to 7 pounds for one and 9 pounds each for a maximum of 2 additional ones per person per tour. If you scan the blue logo with the Zappar app you can take a picture with the coin and listen to some -boring- background information about the history of the 50p coin.
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4914/46552680051_bc00856c03_z.jpg)
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4871/46552681181_4a6825aa4f_z.jpg)
Good to see that you can obtain up to three coins per tour, but not in favour of the additional cost. The savings you make with having no bridge toll have disappeared!
Quote from: Deeman on January 01, 2019, 03:38:35 PM
Good to see that you can obtain up to three coins per tour, but not in favour of the additional cost. The savings you make with having no bridge toll have disappeared!
After first having announced the prices incorrectly (a mistake that was never published on the forum), it now turns out the Royal Mint has also made a mistake in the maximum amount per person per tour. The maximum per tour is 5. 7 pounds for the first one and 9 pounds each for upto 4 further pieces. People who are for free on the tour itself like carers and very young children, are allowed to only strike 1 coin per tour (at a cost of 7 pounds).
I managed to pick one up off the 'Bay for not too steep a price. The obverse inscription includes "50 Pence", presumably for those too stupid to work out that "50 New Pence" (or "New Pence 50" as it actually reads) and "50 Pence" are one and the same...
The Royal Mint Experience's Facebook account tries to have it that "the last time this design appeared on a UK coin was 1982" so naturally I had to comment that it was actually 1981 and that they really should get their facts right. I also pointed out the 2009 proofs.
We're in an era of fake news, of course, but if an organisation can't get its own historical facts correct, when it's easier than it's ever been to research it, there really isn't much hope for the average person.
Well said Alan71.
I notice that 50 pence appears in the obverse legend of the Britannia coin. Would I be correct in saying that this differs from the 2009 anniversary version?
I suspect that in such a large, bureaucratic organisation, there are several tribes. One of these is probably the old guard: meticulous and measured. Another may well be the marketing monkeys: fashionable, fast, faulty. I would expect that these tribes have given up on each other and do not communicate.
Peter
Quote from: Deeman on January 05, 2019, 10:40:36 AM
Well said Alan71.
I notice that 50 pence appears in the obverse legend of the Britannia coin. Would I be correct in saying that this differs from the 2009 anniversary version?
Yes. The 2009 version used the then-standard obverse inscription. That was before the Facebook generation of collectors though, so the Mint could be sure that buyers would know that "50 New Pence" is equal to "50 Pence".
After I posted here, I noticed another error in the Royal Mint's Facebook post. The illustration of the coin that they used was a mule of the "New Pence" inscription but with the substantially altered Britannia design of 1982-2008. So someone at the Mint had gone to the trouble of creating this image and was obviously completely oblivious to the fact that there were two Britannia designs. Thankfully the coins themselves depict the correct version.
(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20190105/0d2f165c3ee46214f439eb4f28d09ced.jpg)
The "50" figure is from the 1982 version as well. The position of "Pence" is as the 1982 version, so they've literally just swapped "Fifty" for "New" to create this.
There was another Royal Mint mistake related to this coin. In the app in which you can have a closer look at the coin, the wrong obverse was used. The mistake has now been corrected. We can conclude it is a mess there and I have no hopes whatsoever of things getting any better under this new CEO.
(https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7904/45705651345_7e490fc094.jpg)(https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7875/45705651405_9ba9ec6ae1.jpg)
The wrong Britannia also extends to the packaging for the coin itself.
(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20190105/bf253d99d66dc4d240bf064c2d4c4961.jpg)
There should be a choice of packaging... the alternative one being "An eBay seller struck this 50p coin and then sold it to me at a profit".
(http://www.worldofcoins.eu/forum/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=20641.0;attach=62579;image)
50 pence 1969.
(http://www.worldofcoins.eu/forum/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=20641.0;attach=62578;image)
50 pence 1982 (proof FDC version).
Actual examples of the original two versions of the 50 pence coin.
Alongside the packaging scan of the 50p Britannia from the Royal Mint Experience, the RM tweeted in Jan 1:
"To celebrate the leap into 2019, visitors can now Strike their own Britannia 50 pence coin.
The last time this design appeared in circulation was 1997."
How absolutely crass!
Quote from: Deeman on January 07, 2019, 12:17:47 AM
Alongside the packaging scan of the 50p Britannia from the Royal Mint Experience, the RM tweeted in Jan 1:
"To celebrate the leap into 2019, visitors can now Strike their own Britannia 50 pence coin.
The last time this design appeared in circulation was 1997."
How absolutely crass!
Peter's comment I think sums it up. The old guard that would have the correct info probably aren't respected, and therefore not asked. So the young go-getters with little interest in coins but plenty in marketing are free to make such errors as most of the Facebook generation either won't notice or won't care.
I see that the Royal Mint are marketing a special anniversary set comprising an original 1969 50p piece in a minimum of VF condition together with a 2019 Matthew Dent 50p – only available to collect as part of a set and not as an individual coin. All for £45, a figure coincident with free p&p!
What a pricing policy!!!
Interesting, though, the statement that the 2019 50p definitive will not be circulated.
Yes, I saw that. And it is, of course, a complete rip-off. A 1969 50p in Uncirculated condition (therefore much better than very fine) is only £9.69 (with free postage) as a buy-it-now on eBay. The 2019 coin is available in the definitive set of 8 coins for £30 or the complete set (with commemoratives) for £55.
Looks like the RM have had a rethink on the 2-coin 50p anniversary set. Now priced at £30 + p&p. Still too expensive.
They said the previous price was a mistake in their system :D For the people who would like to get the coins in the set, the Westminster Collection is now selling them in different packaging, at a better price.
The sets of 2019-dated reissued 50p coins were available from the Westminster Collection which sold out of its stock within 25 minutes. They will also be available from the Royal Mint at 9am GMT.
There are 2 sets available each containing the same 5 coins (Kew Gardens, Four Minute Mile, Girlguiding, Britannia and Scouting). They are available in Copper-Nickel proof (99 pounds) and silver proof (225 pounds).
The set copper-nickel proof is limited to 3,500 sets and the one in silver proof is limited to 1,969 sets.
The obverse on the copper-nickel and gold coins includes the denomination while it doesn't on the silver proof coins.
Have a look at ebay! Blatant profiteering on the 2019-dated reissued 50p coin set.
Several hundred silver proof sets containing the 5 reissued 50p's are now available only if you call the Royal Mint.
Quote from: Deeman on January 14, 2019, 12:39:07 PM
Have a look at ebay! Blatant profiteering on the 2019-dated reissued 50p coin set.
I thought that was the whole point? I read an article
The new rare coins that will be minted in 2019 - Cambridgeshire Live (https://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/news/uk-world-news/royal-mint-coins-2019-collectible-15615897)
"The new rare coins that will be minted in 2019"
Rare coins 2019: The limited edition 50p, £2 and £5 coins entering circulation (https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/news/uk-world-news/rare-coins-2019-limited-edition-2382194)
"Rare coins 2019: The limited edition 50p, £2 and £5 coins entering circulation this year"
These rare coins are being released in 2019 - here's how valuable they could be (https://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/read-this/rare-coins-2019/)
"These rare coins are being released in 2019 – here's how valuable they could be
"
I think you can see a pattern here. Everyone's calling them "rare coins", and they're not even out yet. This is all it is now. Forget coin collecting, it's all profiteering. Even the Mint is doing R@R@ L@@K. And people fall for it all the time, they believe the hysteria.
I guess this is why they get so angry about "fake news", because they're the gullible that get taken in by it, and profiteers simply make the best of it.
See Reply #75. The signs are coming together. The new CEO has empowered the tribe of the fast marketing boys. The old boys are defeated. Making coins for circulation is now a secondary priority at best. The first priority is pushing out trinkets like the horrid alphabet series. Not necessarily to collectors. They are targeted at the get-rich-quickly crowd of retail investors. That's why the entertainment "newspapers" get involved. To the extent that collectors behave the same way, they will be targeted also. Otherwise, this is no longer about collectors or coin collecting or even coins.
Collectors have a single line of defence, but it is sturdy: stop buying all newly issued commemoratives above face value. Keep only what you can fish out of circulation at face and be done with the rest. Many collectors have already stopped buying proof sets and £5 pieces, so it's just another step. See how easy it is to live without the alphabet series or the Kew gardens hot air coin. Spend the money saved on older coins. Extend your collection back in time.
This also makes clear who the real victims are. Not collectors, but the get-rich-quickly crowd of retail investors. What will they do with their "rarities" nobody wants?
Peter
For people who still like to buy the sets, the one in Copper-Nickel proof is available here (https://www.downies.com/catalog/product/view/id/30717/s/united-kingdom-50-years-of-the-50p-2019-cu-ni-proof-5-coin-set/category/985/) for 111 GBP and the silver proof set here (https://www.downies.com/united-kingdom-50-years-of-the-50p-2019-silver-proof-5-coin-set) for 223 GBP (both ex. postage) from reputable dealer Downies coins in Australia which is an official Royal Mint distributor.
I did see the issue of the sets in the top 10 most-read items in the BBC News app at around 7am. I didn't give it much more thought until I checked around lunchtime to discover they had sold out. I'm not too bothered, I've got four of the damn things from 2009 and can live without a 2019-dated one.
Must be disappointing for those who hadn't got a 2009 one and wanted this to compensate. Did the Mint put any limit on how many could be ordered by one account?
Quote from: Alan71 on January 14, 2019, 06:31:26 PM
I did see the issue of the sets in the top 10 most-read items in the BBC News app at around 7am. I didn't give it much more thought until I checked around lunchtime to discover they had sold out. I'm not too bothered, I've got four of the damn things from 2009 and can live without a 2019-dated one.
Must be disappointing for those who hadn't got a 2009 one and wanted this to compensate. Did the Mint put any limit on how many could be ordered by one account?
The limit was 3 as far as I know. I was told Crown Post Offices still have to start selling them.
Quote from: eurocoin on January 14, 2019, 06:32:41 PM
The limit was 3 as far as I know.
Thanks. Guessing the profiteerers (if there is such a word!) were well prepared for today though and would have multiple accounts set up.
Oh well, I'll stick with my 2009 16-coin set... if nothing else, the three EU-related designs are in it, and they'll never be seen on new coins again!
As Peter advises, it might be time (for me at least) to say enough is enough.
The first premium Strike Your Own coin is the standard 2 pounds coin dated 2019 in silver proof. The coin costs 125 pounds which will come on top of the cost of the premium tour (either 60 or 95 pounds depending on what you want to see).
According to ebay profiteers (note the spelling Alan71), the 50th anniversary set is now the 2019 Kew Gardens proof set!
I agree with previous correspondents that the new CEO is taking the RM down the commercial path at a rapid rate. The Royal Mail have already taken that course to the detriment of collector's pockets and totally spoilt the hobby.
Quote from: eurocoin on January 14, 2019, 06:32:41 PM
The limit was 3 as far as I know. I was told Crown Post Offices still have to start selling them.
Any chance you would know of any post office selling them in London Eurocoin?
Quote from: Dimi164 on January 16, 2019, 05:26:04 PM
Any chance you would know of any post office selling them in London Eurocoin?
They haven't started selling them yet. Only Crown Post Offices sell Royal Mint products but unfortunately I don't have more specific information where they will be available in London.
Quote from: eurocoin on January 16, 2019, 05:30:31 PM
They haven't started selling them yet. Only Crown Post Offices sell Royal Mint products but unfortunately I don't have more specific information where they will be available in London.
Thank you for your reply. Just spent the afternoon going to Post offices and no one seemed to have a clue as to what I was talking about!
Here's what I would do (take into account that I live in France, not the UK). I'd buy some - not too many; it mustn't resemble bribery - fancy chocolates (bonbons), go to the largest of the post offices you visited at a quiet time, explain my problem to the man (or, better still, the woman) behind the appropriate window and ask him if I could leave my phone number with him so that he can warn me when the coins arrive. If he says yes, he gets the phone number and the chocolates and lots of thanks in advance. React promptly when you get the call.
Peter
It won't be all post offices that have these though....
The Crown Post Offices that will be selling the 50 years of the 50p sets expect to receive them next Tuesday or Wednesday.
Quote from: eurocoin on January 19, 2019, 02:23:25 PM
The Crown Post Offices that will be selling the 50 years of the 50p sets expect to receive them next Tuesday or Wednesday.
Is there a list of branches available, or is it a treasure hunt?
Quote from: Deeman on January 19, 2019, 07:28:09 PM
Is there a list of branches available, or is it a treasure hunt?
Treasure hunt. ;D
Just kidding,
there is a search function on the branch finder here;
Branch Finder | Post Office (https://www.postoffice.co.uk/branchfinder1)
Click "refine branch services" select "Collectibles" and it should bring up a list of branches which stock them. HOWEVER.... The staff at the Derby branch were neither use nor ornament when I asked.
I don't think that gives the branches that will sell the coin set. The search gives you offices in a selected area, but I don't think all will sell the coins. There are over 300 crown offices in the UK, and with a limited edition I can't see all offices having coins to sell.
I don't know of another way.
The Royal Mint | Post Office (https://www.postoffice.co.uk/royal-mint)
You could always send them an email....
I think your best bet would be to just visit 1 or 2 branches near you that sell Royal Mint collectibles (see the handy link provided by andyg) to ask for these sets. There does not exist an overview of Crown Post Offices that will sell this specific set.
Is the limited edition of 3,500 for the first 5-coin 50th anniversary set, as stated on the RM site, the final total including the sets to go on sale at the POs or just the quantity for sales direct from RM?
Quote from: Deeman on January 20, 2019, 09:46:06 AM
Is the limited edition of 3,500 for the first 5-coin 50th anniversary set, as stated on the RM site, the final total including the sets to go on sale at the POs or just the quantity for sales direct from RM?
3,500 is the final total of the copper-nickel proof sets.
Thanks eurocoin.
So I guess that with such a low quantity remaining after the RM sales, finding a PO that sells the set will be very hit & miss.
Quote from: Deeman on January 20, 2019, 10:17:29 AM
Thanks eurocoin.
So I guess that with such a low quantity remaining after the RM sales, finding a PO that sells the set will be very hit & miss.
That of course depends on how many of these sets the Royal Mint itself has sold. Both some of the Crown Post offices as well as the Royal Mint's official distributors will sell these too.
A selection of RM products are available at a number of Post Office branches given on the following site:
royalmint.com/aboutus/stockists/
As the PO is a separate company from Royal Mint, I wonder what retailer rate they will charge?
Some good marketing on the 50p set. 10 years ago they only managed to sell 1,039 copper-nickel 50p 40th anniversary sets, which was, surprisingly, even fewer than the silver sets (1,163).
2009 Dated UK Commemorative Coin Sales | The Royal Mint (https://www.royalmint.com/discover/uk-coins/circulation-coin-mintage-figures/2009-dated-uk-collector-coin-sales/)
Quote from: Deeman on January 20, 2019, 11:27:26 AM
A selection of RM products are available at a number of Post Office branches given on the following site:
royalmint.com/aboutus/stockists/
I believe that page to be outdated, inaccurate and incomplete.
QuoteAs the PO is a separate company from Royal Mint, I wonder what retailer rate they will charge?
95% of the times the exact same price as the Royal Mint asks for it.
Their marketing was awful back then. When the Olympic 50ps came out, it was as if no one cared. Now all these people who claim to be hard core "collectors" are getting angry because they couldn't get this set.
The Mint's facebook page has been getting a hammering. They didn't send out the notification for those who had signed up, and had only intended on doing it 20 minutes before you could buy, and lots of people who bought them, found they didn't get them anyway.
Quite a few people basically saying the more you buy from the mint, the more chance you've got of getting stuff like this.
Quote from: Big_M on January 21, 2019, 09:04:53 AM
Some good marketing on the 50p set.
Not really surprising, the collecting world has changed so much since 2009. And although the 50 years of the 50p sets sold well, I think they could have easily sold 10,000 of them. They have completely underestimated the demand for it while they could have foreseen this if they would have actively monitored collectors groups. 1 week prior to the official launch hundreds of collectors stayed awake until well after midnight after a rumour had spread claiming the sets would be available at midnight.
They'll make more money by selling only 3,500 though. It's about creating the environment, which is essentially having people going crazy that they missed out on something. So they'll buy lots more in the future, just in case....
Just to put the craze into perspective. The 50 years of the 50p sets were Trending #2 on eBay, just behind skijackets.. :o
I don't understand ebay "trending"
number one just now is Ace combat 7 with 685 searches,
number eight is ski jackets with 25,808 and
number nine the 50p with 4,829.
So quite how the work the order out I don't know.
Here is the link,
Trending on eBay UK (https://www.ebay.co.uk/trending)
It may well bring different results for different people depending on which cookies they have on their computer for all I know.
With 1 week delay, the post offices that will be selling the 50 years of the 50p sets have now finally received them.
Near Christmas a commemorative 50p coin will be issued featuring (amongst other things) the snowdog from the book James and the Snowman.
Quote from: eurocoin on February 01, 2019, 08:41:52 PM
Near Christmas a commemorative 50p coin will be issued featuring (amongst other things) the snowdog from the book James and the Snowman.
Surprise, surprise!!!! Thank you Anne 'Cilla' Jessopp.
Now we are celebrating 7th anniversaries!
Quote from: Deeman on February 02, 2019, 08:48:00 AM
Now we are celebrating 7th anniversaries!
I think it's more to think of something for a Christmas coin than to mark any kind of anniversary. At least the Mint still has some form of quality control - no boring Santa (as Gibraltar does).
Quote from: eurocoin on January 29, 2019, 09:09:58 PM
With 1 week delay, the post offices that will be selling the 50 years of the 50p sets have now finally received them.
I wonder if many were successful at getting one? I did think of walking to the main post office in Derby (which is still separate - not within WHSmith) but didn't as I thought they'd either have sold out or never had them. Plus for the first time I really wasn't that bothered. I haven't even got a 2019 year set yet.
The Gruffalo 50p will be released February 19.
The Royal Mint will this year issue a commemorative 50p coin to honour the life and work of Stephen Hawking. The coin will depict a stylized depiction of a black hole as well as the entropy equation.
A worthy subject, but why did he beat Alan Turing and Tim Berners-Lee?
Peter
Quote from: Figleaf on February 15, 2019, 06:01:49 PM
A worthy subject, but why did het beat Alan Turing and Tim Berners-Lee?
Peter
I am sure that they too will be commemorated on coins at some point in the future.
-
There will also be piedfort sets in silver and gold of the 50 years of the 50p sets.
Quote from: eurocoin on February 15, 2019, 07:48:38 PM
I am sure that they too will be commemorated on coins at some point in the future.
Berners-Lee (BTW, a recipient of the Turing prize!) is understandable. He's still alive (but wasn't Churchill alive too when his commemorative was issued?), but Turing is very close to scandalous. The only reason to overlook him is his homosexuality, but if that is the reason, the government has learned nothing since they drove Turing to suicide exactly for his homosexuality, while they have issued an apology for their behaviour, making you wonder just how sincere that apology was.
Peter
Although the company that owns all rights related to Beatrix Potter's work guaranteed me last year that there were not going to be any further Beatrix Potter 50p coins, there will in fact be 4 further Beatrix Potter 50p coins this year.
The production of the Mr Tod coin of the Beatrix Potter 50p series of 2019 has now started.
Well, a fox on a coin is something different for the UK, I suppose. Beatrix Potter coins are seemingly going to run and run then, alongside the Gruffalo and anything else they can think of!
Quote from: Figleaf on February 16, 2019, 01:49:23 PM
Berners-Lee (BTW, a recipient of the Turing prize!) is understandable. He's still alive (but wasn't Churchill alive too when his commemorative was issued?), but Turing is very close to scandalous. The only reason to overlook him is his homosexuality, but if that is the reason, the government has learned nothing since they drove Turing to suicide exactly for his homosexuality, while they have issued an apology for their behaviour, making you wonder just how sincere that apology was.
Peter
Churchill was no longer alive when his commemorative was issued. Turing will no doubt get his coin.
Quote from: Figleaf on February 16, 2019, 01:49:23 PM
Berners-Lee (BTW, a recipient of the Turing prize!) is understandable. He's still alive (but wasn't Churchill alive too when his commemorative was issued?), but Turing is very close to scandalous. The only reason to overlook him is his homosexuality, but if that is the reason, the government has learned nothing since they drove Turing to suicide exactly for his homosexuality, while they have issued an apology for their behaviour, making you wonder just how sincere that apology was.
Peter
Churchill died in January 1965 and commemorative 1 Crown was issued the same year.
There is a strong tradition that living people other than royals are not portrayed on the coinage. Strictly speaking, with the exception of royal spouses-to-be who are still commoners until they actually marry.
I think I'm right that the only non-royal to be portrayed on circulating coinage during his lifetime was Oliver Cromwell. Perhaps the experience of that period has given rise to the "no living people" tradition.
The Gruffalo 50p, available from midnight.
Is this the new Prime Minister series?
Actually looks okay, but then they didn't need to do much work to make it look okay. Not much creativity in the actual coin.
This news item shows a different design
Royal Mint To Release A Special Gruffalo 50p Coin - Pretty 52 (http://www.pretty52.com/news/news-royal-mint-to-release-a-special-gruffalo-50p-coin-20190214)
Quote from: augsburger on February 18, 2019, 03:54:49 PM
Is this the new Prime Minister series?
I think is more Corbynesque.
Quote from: Pabitra on February 18, 2019, 07:20:47 PM
This news item shows a different design
Royal Mint To Release A Special Gruffalo 50p Coin - Pretty 52 (http://www.pretty52.com/news/news-royal-mint-to-release-a-special-gruffalo-50p-coin-20190214)
That news article shows a fake design made by professional attention seeker and less professional coin dealer Lawrence Chard.
I also have images of the packaging of the BU and Proof coins. People who would like to have copies of these images can send me a private message.
The Gruffalo 50p coin will not be issued into circulation.
Quote from: FosseWay on February 18, 2019, 08:04:43 AM
There is a strong tradition that living people other than royals are not portrayed on the coinage. Strictly speaking, with the exception of royal spouses-to-be who are still commoners until they actually marry.
I think I'm right that the only non-royal to be portrayed on circulating coinage during his lifetime was Oliver Cromwell. Perhaps the experience of that period has given rise to the "no living people" tradition.
The boundaries are being re-drawn slightly though... the lower half of Roger Bannister's body on the 2004 coin, a full 14 years before he died. Also this new Gruffalo coin... both author and illustrator are both very much alive, as is The Snowman's creator Raymond Briggs. At least Beatrix Potter and Michael Bond are dead.
Quote from: eurocoin on February 18, 2019, 07:54:38 PM
That news article shows a fake design made by professional attention seeker and less professional coin dealer Lawrence Chard.
I also have images of the packaging of the BU and Proof coins. People who would like to have copies of these images can send me a private message.
2019 50p coins are supposed to indicate denomination on reverse and not obverse.
Is that not the policy?
As far as I know such policy does not exist.
Quote from: Pabitra on February 19, 2019, 05:15:38 AM
2019 50p coins are supposed to indicate denomination on reverse and not obverse.
Is that not the policy?
There is no requirement AFAIK on where the denomination should appear. For "definitive" issues, it generally makes sense for the series to have a uniform approach to this, and both the 1968-2008 and 2008-now series achieve this. But for commemoratives, it's design-driven.
The Royal Mint is planning to re-issue the Newton 50p coin. Only the date will be different.
For anyone who missed out on the silver proof Gruffalo, the Royal Mint still has some limited stock left. Only available over the phone. 0800 032 2152 alternatively 0800 032 2154.
What about Hawking
The Royal Mint is releasing a Stephen Hawking 50p coin - here's how much it (https://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/read-this/stephen-hawking-50p-coin-royal-mint-when-date-valuable-how-much/)
Again a fake design.
Quote from: eurocoin on February 19, 2019, 08:17:14 AM
The Royal Mint is planning to re-issue the Newton 50p coin. Only the date will be different.
This would be its third year of issue in some form. Do you know if this will be as a Strike-Your-Own again, or available some other way?
Quote from: Alan71 on February 22, 2019, 07:56:39 PM
Do you know if this will be as a Strike-Your-Own again, or available some other way?
I do not know.
I do know however that the Royal Mint was recently considering to re-release previous SYO's. From February 14, certain clients were allowed to vote on this idea and on which previous SYO they would like to be re-released. The royal approval for the re-release of the Newton 50p was already granted on February 13 though.
I can also imagine there may be a 2-coin set of the Newton and Hawking 50p coins.
The design of the Stephen Hawking 50p coin.
Thanks eurocoin. I did notice that and wondered if it was another fake design, but as you've confirmed it, clearly not.
Nice design. What's interesting about this is that it appears to be the first commemorative 50p to use the orientation of the standard Dent design (ie. point at the bottom). So far, the Dent design was the only one to use it (from any of the six sterling-based territories).
Steven Hawking, that famous plumber.
Wallace & Gromit apparently exist 30 years this year.. ::)
Quote from: eurocoin on March 05, 2019, 02:06:24 PM
Wallace & Gromit apparently exist 30 years this year.. ::)
Does that mean there's going to be a 50p coin for them? It wouldn't surprise me. If the Gruffalo is worthy of one for 20 years, then Wallace & Gromit's 30th shouldn't raise many eyebrows!
The Stephen Hawking 50p coin will be released on March 12.
The Peter Rabbit 50p coin will be released at the end of this month.
The characters that will be featured on the Beatrix Potter 50p coins this year are Peter Rabbit, Mr Tod the Fox, Samuel Whiskers and Tommy Brock.
It's difficult to see much logic in what the Royal Mint does these days, but the Stephen Hawking coin is significant in that it's effectively a memorial coin. Apart from Winston Churchill, memorial coins have generally been reserved for royalty. No objection whatsoever to Hawking being chosen for this though. Of the memorial coins (Churchill, Diana, the Queen Mother and now Hawking) only Diana's has featured in annual Royal Mint sets.
Possibly Stephen Hawking's wasn't ready in time for the sets, so they went with an insignificant anniversary for Wedgwood (that would have been slightly more significant had it been issued ten years ago...)
Quote from: Alan71 on March 10, 2019, 11:46:06 PM
It's difficult to see much logic in what the Royal Mint does these days, but the Stephen Hawking coin is significant in that it's effectively a memorial coin. Apart from Winston Churchill, memorial coins have generally been reserved for royalty. No objection whatsoever to Hawking being chosen for this though. Of the memorial coins (Churchill, Diana, the Queen Mother and now Hawking) only Diana's has featured in annual Royal Mint sets.
Possibly Stephen Hawking's wasn't ready in time for the sets, so they went with an insignificant anniversary for Wedgwood (that would have been slightly more significant had it been issued ten years ago...)
Diana's is exceptional also in being issued a full two years after her death (which may be why it features in the sets where the others don't). At the time I thought it was strange - not so much that they issued a coin for her, but that it was issued so long after. The RM obviously had more preparation time for the Queen Mother but that coin was issued in the same year she died, as was Churchill's.
Quote from: FosseWay on March 11, 2019, 07:56:14 AM
Diana's is exceptional also in being issued a full two years after her death (which may be why it features in the sets where the others don't). At the time I thought it was strange - not so much that they issued a coin for her, but that it was issued so long after. The RM obviously had more preparation time for the Queen Mother but that coin was issued in the same year she died, as was Churchill's.
Well, with Diana it was because the Queen simply didn't want such a coin to be produced. A coin was designed and the queen was like, "I don't like this or that, get rid of it" and probably trying to delay it as much as possible.
I think the Diana coin was issued because it was suggested by members of the public as part of the memorial plans. And probably Tony Blair's government had some influence. In 1998, Prince Charles's 50th birthday was commemorated on a £5 coin in the sets, and might have jarred a bit with a Diana one in the same year...
Quote from: eurocoin on March 09, 2019, 11:06:17 AM
The Peter Rabbit 50p coin will be released at the end of this month.
Do we know if it is a new design or a re-issued design dated 2019?
Quote from: Deeman on March 11, 2019, 12:15:04 PM
Do we know if it is a new design or a re-issued design dated 2019?
New design.
A closer look at the Stephen Hawking 50p coin. Apparently in contrary to the previous image it is not supposed to have the point at the bottom.
(https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7844/40383514343_b0ec14db4e_o.jpg)
(https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7867/33472809998_0709fbf412.jpg)
To me it appears that it should be tilted 25 degrees anti clockwise and should be considered with point at bottom, then only the equation will be perfectly horizontal.
Quote from: eurocoin on March 11, 2019, 02:22:24 PM
A closer look at the Stephen Hawking 50p coin. Apparently in contrary to the previous image it is not supposed to have the point at the bottom.
Does the RM have a rational explanation for the orientation of the design? Clearly the majority would view the coin with the point at the bottom.
Is it supposed to be a black hole then?
I'm kind of glad the orientation is the standard one. In my view the Dent design should have been - I'm sure it would have looked fine that way.
Apparently this Stephen Hawking coin is the first in a series:
"Excitingly, this is the first time Stephen Hawking has been represented on a British coinage and is the start of a brand new Royal Mint series celebrating Innovators in Science."
Quote from: Alan71 on March 12, 2019, 08:14:52 AM
Apparently this Stephen Hawking coin is the first in a series:
"Excitingly, this is the first time Stephen Hawking has been represented on a British coinage and is the start of a brand new Royal Mint series celebrating Innovators in Science."
Yes, based on the image of the BU pack I already thought something like that. I think one of the other coins in the series will be a 2019-dated Newton 50p coin. A shame that the coin will not be released into general circulation. It was designed by Edwina Ellis.
Quote from: eurocoin on October 29, 2018, 06:19:18 PM
HM Treasury has just unveiled the design of the Brexit 50p coin that will be issued in the Spring of next year. It looks horrible.
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1976/43801815680_c52927eb1a_o.jpg)
Just wondering what might happen to this coin if, as now seems likely, Brexit is delayed? With all the political uncertainty, would the coin have actually gone into production yet? If it has, I imagine that, should the delay be confirmed on Thursday, any produced so far might have to be melted down save for a few examples retained by the Royal Mint?
I am sure the EU would agree with this slogan, though it would differ on what it means in practice.
Peter
Someone at RM needs to improve their maths skill.
Reading the BU pack for Stephen Hawking as posted on the RM site, it states that he served as Lucasian Professor of Mathematics at Cambridge University for 40 years between 1979 & 2009 when he reached the retiring age of 67yrs for the post. I make that 30 years.
Quote from: Figleaf on March 12, 2019, 07:38:10 PM
I am sure the EU would agree with this slogan, though it would differ on what it means in practice.
The slogan is OK, but who knows what will happen to the date ...
And yes, Deeman, 2009-1979 is 30, not 40. :)
Christian
You would hope that that's an earlier version of the pack used for illustration purposes by the Royal Mint, and that the mistake was picked up on before production started. I somehow doubt that. In the age of fake news, fake maths somehow seems appropriate.
Referring to the BU pack for Stephen Hawking may give a clue as to a possible 'innovator in science' candidate with the mention of Charles Babbage.
As for the 50 years of the 50p sets (2 sets - 10 coins in total), the first set containing the first 5 coins in respectively copper-nickel proof, silver proof and gold proof has now been issued. The Royal Mint will also release all 10 coins in silver and gold piedfort.
The Royal Mint has reversed its earlier decision to only issue the coins in Proof quality (bar the SYO Britannia 50p). All of the coins will soon also be issued in standard BU quality.
Quote from: eurocoin on March 12, 2019, 10:56:11 PM
The Royal Mint has reversed its earlier decision to only issue the coins in Proof quality (bar the SYO Britannia 50p). All of the coins will soon also be issued in standard BU quality.
Interesting. The people that paid inflated prices after they officially sold out might regret it then. I'll probably try and get a BU version of them. Do you know if they will be as a set or individually? I trust you'll give us a heads up when you know the date they'll be issued from!
Quote from: Alan71 on March 12, 2019, 11:03:34 PM
Interesting. The people that paid inflated prices after they officially sold out might regret it then.
The comment could also apply to people who bought SYO Britannia from auction sites.
Quote from: Deeman on March 12, 2019, 11:21:13 PM
The comment could also apply to people who bought SYO Britannia from auction sites.
Good one, you got me! Yes, that was me. I won't regret that though. I'd have regretted a third visit to the Royal Mint Experience, with its associated petrol and hotel costs. I really couldn't have stood the tour again!
Quote from: eurocoin on March 12, 2019, 10:56:11 PM
The Royal Mint has reversed its earlier decision to only issue the coins in Proof quality (bar the SYO Britannia 50p). All of the coins will soon also be issued in standard BU quality.
Do we know if it will be two BU sets of 5 or one of 10?
Quote from: eurocoin on March 12, 2019, 09:20:42 AM
A shame that the coin will not be released into general circulation. It was designed by Edwina Ellis.
I actually don't mind that. In fact, I'm in favour of it. It's no longer a level playing field. In the "old days" (perhaps pre-2009 but no real exact date), I could pretty much expect to get every coin issued from change. Since then we've had Kew Gardens and Facebook collectors (as well as the Mint issuing far more commemoratives than ever before).
You mentioned about post office staff deliberately keeping back the alphabet 10p coins for example. The reality now is that you're very lucky if you can get these coins from change. Even if this coin did enter circulation, it wouldn't last long. They'd quickly be snapped up by the change checkers and half of them would end up on eBay.
Therefore I'm all for commemoratives not being issued at face value. If people want them, they can pay for them like the true collectors do! This will be the norm anyway as we become more cashless.
As far as I recall the first standard issue recent not for circulation coin* was the 2009 Blue Peter 50p, there might be something earlier I've forgotten about. I never did find a 1992 commemorative in change but they were issued in small quantities. 1994's were tricky to find - although I did find two.
£5 coins were available at face until 2010, although the Olympic countdown £5's were only in packs from the mint before this. Since 2011 all in packs only.
The monometallic £2's 1986/89 (Bill) I received in change, but the rest were in packs only I think.
"first standard issue recent not for circulation coin"
There must be a better name for these, but you know what I mean.
Quote from: Deeman on March 13, 2019, 08:44:36 AM
Do we know if it will be two BU sets of 5 or one of 10?
We do not. I do not even rule out that they will be released in individual packs.
______________
The Peter Rabbit 50p will be released next Tuesday, March 19.
Quote from: eurocoin on March 14, 2019, 11:14:15 AM
We do not. I do not even rule out that they will be released in individual packs.
Thanks for your reply eurocoin. I never considered individual packs, but on reflection that option would probably be good for sales.
Quote from: andyg on March 13, 2019, 11:29:38 PM
The monometallic £2's 1986/89 (Bill) I received in change, but the rest were in packs only I think.
I've only ever received the 1986 in change, but IIRC all of them were available loose at face value over the counter, with the reservation that the Bill of Rights was available in England and the Claim in Scotland, which presumably explains why the latter seems to be much rarer - I imagine they produced them with the nations' respective populations in mind.
The Royal Mint will issue 5 pounds coins for Remembrance Day and Christmas. The Remembrance Day coin will depict a poppy while the Christmas coin depicts a Christmas stocking filled with toys.
Quote from: FosseWay on March 14, 2019, 02:32:48 PM
I've only ever received the 1986 in change, but IIRC all of them were available loose at face value over the counter, with the reservation that the Bill of Rights was available in England and the Claim in Scotland, which presumably explains why the latter seems to be much rarer - I imagine they produced them with the nations' respective populations in mind.
It would seem so. 381,400 Claim of Right compared to 4,777,891 Bill of Rights (in all versions, including Proofs). The UK's estimated population as at 2017 is 66 million. Of this, Scotland's is under 5.5 million (1/12th). 381,400 is just under 1/12th of 4,777,891.
Both versions were available in England - a friend of my mum's got them (I think from a bank or post office) when they were issued. Presumably when the Claim ran out, they just had the Bill.
The Peter Rabbit design that will be minted and printed on the Peter Rabbit 50p of 2019. Slight differences possible.
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4900/32451973347_a56fc6a5b1_z.jpg)
From May 1, Change Checker and the Westminster Collection are going to increase the price of the BU 50p coins in the blue cards from 3.99 to 4.50 pounds. The price of the 2 pounds and 5 pounds coins in the blue cards will stay the same.
The new Peter Rabbit design completes the head & shoulder depiction on the 2016 issue.
Taken from an illustration in 'The Tale of Benjamin Bunny' where Peter & Benjamin are in the onion bed in Mr. McGregor's garden.
Quote from: eurocoin on March 16, 2019, 02:36:58 PM
From May 1, Change Checker and the Westminster Collection are going to increase the price of the BU 50p coins in the blue cards from 3.99 to 4.50 pounds. The price of the 2 pounds and 5 pounds coins in the blue cards will stay the same.
I got an email about that. With the £2.99 postage it's only a bargain if you order several at once. However, my main reason is because I like the simple card. I don't really want unnecessary Royal Mint packaging that takes up space. If I want to know more about the coin, I'll google it. With so many issues these days, bulky Royal Mint packs would just be a complete waste of space.
The Chancellor of the Exchequer has just announced on the Andrew Marr Show that the Brexit 50p coin will not be released into general circulation. It will be in sets and packs only.
Quote from: Alan71 on March 12, 2019, 07:19:45 PM
Just wondering what might happen to this coin if, as now seems likely, Brexit is delayed? With all the political uncertainty, would the coin have actually gone into production yet? If it has, I imagine that, should the delay be confirmed on Thursday, any produced so far might have to be melted down save for a few examples retained by the Royal Mint?
According to the Sunday Telegraph only a few undated specimens have so far been produced.
The 50 years of the 50p sets in BU quality will be available from March 25 00:01 AM.
Quote from: eurocoin on March 18, 2019, 08:43:47 AM
The 50 years of the 50p sets in BU quality will be available from March 25 00:01 AM.
I got the email from the Royal Mint... this will be interesting. Let the battle commence! I'll attempt to get it but I imagine the website will crash even at that time of night, and they will be sold out within minutes and then on eBay at at least double the price...
Consider yourself lucky. Until recently, there was a similar process every month for foreigners needing a French driver's license and you couldn't pay someone else to do it or take another route, including going there in person. If you couldn't get through, your driver's license was lost and you needed to do a new exam. My experience (your experience may differ):
Familiarise yourself thoroughly with the login process. Set up the login before H hour. Send the login information (hitting the return key or clicking the "send" button) one second before H hour (use your computer's clock). If you have two devices connected to the internet, set up the other device also and send the login info a second later. Once you are logged in, calm down and take your time (within reason), but do not make a single mistake and do not use the "back" command on you browser.
Good luck,
Peter
Quote from: eurocoin on March 17, 2019, 12:51:28 PM
According to the Sunday Telegraph only a few undated specimens have so far been produced.
Other papers seem to disagree
Special 50p coins celebrating Brexit produced with WRONG date on them (https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/8659312/special-50p-coins-celebrating-brexit-produced-with-wrong-date-on-them/)
Brexit news: Philip Hammond admits commemorative coin delay in Brexit slip up | (https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/1101533/brexit-news-coin-uk-Theresa-May-philip-hammond-eu-withdrawal-agreement-meaningful-vote)
The second link you refer to does mention that the pieces that were so far produced did not have a date on them. Only the Sun (of all newspapers) says they were produced with the wrong date.
Second link means that a lot of them have been made but without date. It implies that date would be put later. The date can not be put after they have been minted or can it be?
I have no reason to believe that mass production had already started. People on the gold tours at the Royal Mint, who have access to a significant part of the Royal Mint site, have not seen production of the Brexit 50p coin.
Although I am sure there will be technical ways to get that date on the coin after it has been minted, I don't think it is efficient and cost effective to do things it like that. It does not seem very logical to me.
The articles are from The Sun and the Daily Express, neither of which is known for accurate or reliable news. The Express doesn't sell that many copies, so lack of money means its headlines are often about extreme weather that hasn't even happened yet (and probably won't happen).
The Chancellor says he doesn't know (or at least is unsure) if coins have been struck. It appears the Treasury then said a handful had been struck as prototypes, which is what you would expect.
The Sun's mock-up of the coin is hilarious. Aside from the shape, it's missing the "Dei Gra..." titles. They appear to have no idea what the coin was meant to look like!
"Collectors who have already ordered the coin could face a long delay in getting them" - what a load of rubbish this is! The coins haven't been made available to pre-order!
The design of the Peter Rabbit 50p coin as available from tomorrow. It will not be released into general circulation.
(https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7875/46499834515_55923c4c3b_z.jpg)
The Wedgwood 2 pounds coin are now out in individual BU and Proof, see here (https://www.royalmint.com/our-coins/events/wedgwood/).
The Wedgwood 2 pounds coin will not be released into general circulation. The A-Z Alphabet 10p coins are so far the only commemoratives of 2019 that will be released into circulation. Only 81,000 pieces of each coin though.
Quote from: eurocoin on March 18, 2019, 08:43:47 AM
The 50 years of the 50p sets in BU quality will be available from March 25 00:01 AM.
I secured it. It randomly allocated me a place in the queue at midnight, initially giving me a time of 00:27 but this reduced to 0:14 and it was relatively straightforward when I got in. I was half-expecting it to be sold out even at that point, but not sure how limited it is.
It's just the five coins as in the proof and silver sets, £45.
Quote from: Alan71 on March 25, 2019, 01:27:48 AM
II was half-expecting it to be sold out even at that point, but not sure how limited it is.
Unlimited. There was no need to be a night owl!
Quote from: Deeman on March 25, 2019, 08:06:09 AM
Unlimited. There was no need to be a night owl!
Yes, just checked and still available. At least when part 2 comes out, I won't need to do that again!
The Westminster Collection has a better deal for people who are planning to buy these sets only to get the coins in them: https://westminstercollection.com/p-300F/50th-Anniversary-of-the-50p-CERTIFIED-BU-Coin.aspx
The coins have an unlimited mintage. They will not be released into general circulation.
Any news as to when the second proof set of 50th anniversary of 50p is going to be issued?
Nobody knows.
There have been several mentions now of a "second" proof set of 50p coins.
Does anyone know what is intended to be included in this set?
Many thanks
Ian
Quote from: hertfordian on March 28, 2019, 05:11:37 PM
There have been several mentions now of a "second" proof set of 50p coins.
Does anyone know what is intended to be included in this set?
Many thanks
Ian
It contains 2019-dated restrikes of the Battle of Britain, D-Day, Battle of Hastings and Victoria Cross (x2) 50p's.
Not strictly a commemorative but I didn't know where else to put it so anyway, the new Strike Your Own coin will as of April 1 be the 2019-dated Britannia 2 pounds coin.
As of April 2, visitors of the Royal Mint Experience will only be able to strike 1 coin per tour whereas that currently still is a maximum of 5 pieces per tour.
(http://www.worldofcoins.eu/forum/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=42978.0;attach=86004;image)
I was asked last night by a Continental European whether the Brexit commemorative coins had been minted yet. I had to admit that I did not know.
How long will we have wait for this issue? I decided to look at similar historical precedents. Astonishingly, the first florin, or 2 shillings coin, was not issued until 1849.
From Wikipedia:
The drive for decimalisation of the currency in Britain dates as far back as 1682. Although nothing was done regarding early proposals, the adoption of a decimal currency in the United States, France and other nations in the late 18th and early 19th centuries renewed the call, and commissions in 1841 and 1843 called for its adoption. In 1847, a motion was introduced in Parliament by Sir John Bowring calling for the introduction of a decimal currency and the striking of coins of one-tenth and one-hundredth of a pound. Bowring obtained surprisingly strong support for his motion, and the Russell government promised that a coin valued at one-tenth of a pound (two shillings) would be produced to test public opinion, with consideration in future to be given to the introduction of other decimal coins.
There was much discussion about what the coin should be called—centum, decade, and dime being among the suggestions—before florin was eventually settled upon, not because of the old English coin of that name, but because the Netherlands had a florin, or gulden, of about that size and value.
So, this harbinger of a foreign system also had a foreign name: the florin. Queen Victoria, who had a German husband, was very enthusiastic and asked Prime Minister Theresa May to go full steam ahead with decimalisation. Mrs May replied that she'd have to do some indicative votes first, and then eventually a meaningful vote, and probably quite a few meaningless votes along the way. By 1971 the project was ready, and the UK went proudly decimal. All the same, even in the 1980s there were still old women who complained that "they" should have waited until all the old people had died. Sometime never, then. ::)
Going by precedent, we have only another 122 years to wait for the most beauteous Brexit commemorative. Don't worry, life spans are increasing all the time, and scientists tell us that human immortality is just around the corner. Because of the country's debts, however, the average Briton of the 22nd century will be required to work until he/she is three thousand and three years old before retiring.
Prior to coinage most occidental weights were decimal, at least, from c. 2000 BC to 500 BC.
The push to binary and sub-binary systems comes around the time of the first coins and markets, c. 500 BC.
Presumably decimal works best for bureaucratic rulers...............
Quote from: <k> on March 30, 2019, 01:34:18 PM
I was asked last night by a Continental European whether the Brexit commemorative coins had been minted yet. I had to admit that I did not know.
Don't really pay much attention to all that BB (Brexit brouhaha) any more. But no, the coin has not been issued yet according to hopefully reliable sources (https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/brexit-50p-coin-hasnt-actually-14184110). :)
Christian
Quote from: eurocoin on March 25, 2019, 08:31:56 AM
The Westminster Collection has a better deal for people who are planning to buy these sets only to get the coins in them: https://westminstercollection.com/p-300F/50th-Anniversary-of-the-50p-CERTIFIED-BU-Coin.aspx
The coins have an unlimited mintage. They will not be released into general circulation.
Coin Hunter has the Royal Mint edition slightly cheaper than the official site at £40 with free postage: https//coinhunter.co.uk/50p/sets/50years/
The Samuel Pepys 2 pounds coin will be released this Thursday April 4.
The Samuel Pepys 2 pounds coin will not be released into general circulation.
For quite some time I was annoyed at the mint that they weren't releasing commemorative 50p coins into circulation while there is a clear demand for 50p coins given the seemingly great amount of shield 50p's they are producing this year. The Royal Mint to my surprise replied to someone who enquired about this that whenever they receive permission from HM Treasury to produce a certain amount of coins, it is not them but rather HM Treasury that decides which reverse design is being used on the coins they are told to produce.
"it is not them but rather HM Treasury that decides which reverse design is being used on the coins they are told to produce."
I have the distinct impression that everyone just says "it's not our choice" to all these decisions.
Like when you phone up and they're like "No, you need to talk to department B" and department B says "No, you need to talk to department A"
Quote from: hysteria8 on March 30, 2019, 09:06:30 PM
Coin Hunter has the Royal Mint edition slightly cheaper than the official site at £40 with free postage: https//coinhunter.co.uk/50p/sets/50years/
Good but not good enough. I can get them for 38 pounds which includes postage to addresses within the UK.
According to a source, the Royal Mint has cancelled plans for further BP 50p coins. This would mean that the coins featuring Mr Tod the Fox, Samuel Whiskers and Tommy Brock that were planned for this year will not be issued. If true, this is an unexpected decision as the minting dies of the other coins were for example already made.
Quote from: eurocoin on April 02, 2019, 01:57:03 PM
Good but not good enough. I can get them for 38 pounds which includes postage to addresses within the UK.
Anywhere cheaper for the 2019 10p set? Can get 15% off from the Mint at the moment, but still expensive.
Do you know if the Sherlock Holmes 50p will be released into circulation?
Quote from: hysteria8 on April 02, 2019, 08:01:41 PM
Anywhere cheaper for the 2019 10p set? Can get 15% off from the Mint at the moment, but still expensive.
Do you know if the Sherlock Holmes 50p will be released into circulation?
I do not know anyone who is currently selling the 2019 10p sets cheaper than the mint.
It is currently unknown if the Sherlock Holmes 50p will be released into circulation.
Quote from: eurocoin on April 02, 2019, 04:32:29 PM
According to a source, the Royal Mint has suddenly cancelled all plans for further BP 50p coins.
Did you get this news on 01-April-2019?
Don't get me wrong, I am very well aware that you have extremely reliable sources. But it could be a nice April Fools joke, couldn't it?
Quote from: eurocoin on April 02, 2019, 08:15:33 PM
I do not know anyone who is currently selling the 2019 10p sets cheaper than the mint.
It is currently unknown if the Sherlock Holmes 50p will be released into circulation.
Ok thanks.
Quote from: redlock on April 02, 2019, 08:20:49 PM
Did you get this news on 01-April-2019?
Don't get me wrong, I am very well aware that you have extremely reliable sources. But it could be a nice April Fools joke, couldn't it?
I have thought about that but no, I only received the information today. It is of course only 1 person claiming this so maybe he/she is incorrect, which may be the case. For the release of further Beatrix Potter 50p coins royal approval is needed which hasn't been granted yet so who knows..
Quote from: eurocoin on April 02, 2019, 09:06:28 PM
I have thought about that but no, I only received the information today. It is of course only 1 person claiming this so maybe he/she is incorrect, which may be the case. For the release of further Beatrix Potter 50p coins royal approval is needed which hasn't been granted yet so who knows..
Thanks for the update.
Keep us posted.
The Royal Mint has sent a survey out to a certain group of clients in regard of the Innovation in Science 50p series. People are asked to choose one or more of the following persons that they would like to see featured on a coin: Ada Lovelace, Alexander Flemming, Alexander Graham Bell, Alan Turing, Charles Babbage, Dorothy Hodgkin, Michael Faraday and Rosalind Franklin.
It was already rumoured earlier that the Royal Mint had already decided that Charles Babbage will in fact be featured on one of the coins.
The D-Day 2 pounds coin will be released in BU pack on May 7. It will not be released into general circulation.
The Royal Mint is going to issue 2 commemorative 50p coins featuring Paddington Bear. The coins will depict Paddington Bear outside the White Tower at the Tower of London and Paddington Bear outside St Paul's Cathedral.
Surely Rupert Bear must be next. The Winnie the Pooh. Then Biffo the Bear. Sooty and Soo. Bungle. The Three Bears. And so on.
Could somebody do a list of standard 50 pence circulation coins that feature a fictional non-human? I've lost count of the Beatrix Potter ones. And now there's Paddington and the Gruffalo too.
Quote from: <k> on April 11, 2019, 03:37:20 PM
Surely Rupert Bear must be next. The Winnie the Pooh. Then Biffo the Bear. Sooty and Soo. Bungle. The Three Bears. And so on.
Rupert Bear is planned for next year as it is then 100 years since it was first published.
QuoteCould somebody do a list of standard 50 pence circulation coins that feature a fictional non-human? I've lost count of the Beatrix Potter ones. And now there's Paddington and the Gruffalo too.
2016:Beatrix Potter - Peter Rabbit
Beatrix Potter - Peter Rabbit
Beatrix Potter - Jemima Puddle-Duck
Beatrix Potter - Squirrel Nutkin
Beatrix Potter - Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle
2017:Beatrix Potter - Peter Rabbit
Beatrix Potter - Benjamin Bunny
Beatrix Potter - Mr Jeremy Fisher
Beatrix Potter - Tom Kitten
2018:Beatrix Potter - Peter Rabbit
Beatrix Potter - Tailor of Gloucester
Beatrix Potter - Flopsy Bunny
Beatrix Potter - Mrs Tittlemouse
Paddington Bear - Buckingham Palace
Paddington Bear - Paddington Station
James and the Snowman
2019:Beatrix Potter - Peter Rabbit
Paddington Bear - White Tower at the Tower of London
Paddington Bear - St Paul's Cathedral
Gruffalo
The Snowman and the snow dog
Thank you! So there are fully five different Peter Rabbit coins. :o
And Rupert Bear next year. He's my favourite. Every day he would have an adventure and sometimes travel right across the world, but he'd always be home in time for tea. What a hero! He'd make an ideal prime minister. He's just the sort of person we need to sort out Brexit. 8)
Mind you, I preferred Alfred Bestall's treatment of Rupert - not that of Mary Tourtel.
Quote from: eurocoin on April 11, 2019, 03:51:37 PM
Rupert Bear is planned for next year as it is then 100 years since it was first published.
2016:
Beatrix Potter - Peter Rabbit
Beatrix Potter - Peter Rabbit
Beatrix Potter - Jemima Puddle-Duck
Beatrix Potter - Squirrel Nutkin
Beatrix Potter - Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle
2017:
Beatrix Potter - Peter Rabbit
Beatrix Potter - Benjamin Bunny
Beatrix Potter - Mr Jeremy Fisher
Beatrix Potter - Tom Kitten
2018:
Beatrix Potter - Peter Rabbit
Beatrix Potter - Tailor of Gloucester
Beatrix Potter - Flopsy Bunny
Beatrix Potter - Mrs Tittlemouse
Paddington Bear - Buckingham Palace
Paddington Bear - Paddington Station
James and the Snowman
2019:
Beatrix Potter - Peter Rabbit
Paddington Bear - White Tower at the Tower of London
Paddington Bear - St Paul's Cathedral
Gruffalo
The Snowman and the snow dog
This is simply coin diarrhea of the worst kind. This, coming from someone who is used to a lot of puke from the RCM
Quote from: <k> on April 11, 2019, 04:36:50 PM
Thank you! So there are fully five different Peter Rabbit coins. :o
I'd never considered that before but, sure enough, the main Beatrix Potter coin from 2016 (the only one with her name and birth/death years) does indeed have Peter Rabbit as a cameo.
The cynic in me is wondering if the decision to issue more Paddington coins is related to the other decision to not issue more Beatrix Potter coins. Perhaps the former is more of a novelty and therefore more profitable. Guessing that the prospect of a fourth year of Potter characters was starting to get so much criticism that they've abandoned it. I'm hoping eurocoin's source was correct on that anyway.
It's quite a privilege to have eurocoin supplying info here long before the likes of Westminster/Change Checker and the Royal Mint itself reveal anything.
I was most surprised to get a Benjamin Rabbit 50p in change recently. I had never expected to receive any Beatrix Potter coins in change. So maybe the novelty is indeed wearing off.
So here are all the standard Beatrix Potter 50p coins ever.
The Maundy money was handed out today by Her Majesty the Queen. Next to the set of Maundy coins, people received a Sherlock Holmes 50p and a Queen Victoria 5 Pounds coin. Not only special recipients have a possibility of getting one of the sets. Longtime Royal Mint employees (at least 5 years IIRC) are allowed to buy a set and sets are also handed out as gifts by the Royal Mint for example after a successful cooperation.
The Sherlock Holmes 50 Pence coin will be released into general circulation.
Quote from: eurocoin on April 26, 2019, 07:46:03 PM
The Sherlock Holmes 50 Pence coin will be released into general circulation.
Good to hear.
Now it will be interesting to know how many the Royal Mint is going to release into the wild.
Not sure if there's any kind of pattern starting to form, but it seems as though the coins included in the annual sets at the beginning of the year are issued into circulation, whilst the ones issued separately during the year are not. The Sherlock Holmes one was included in the sets, but Peter Rabbit, Gruffalo and Stephen Hawking weren't, and the latter three have been confirmed as having no circulation issues. A similar story with Paddington, the Snowman and the RAF £2 coins last year. Up until this year the Beatrix Potter coins were the exception to this.
I hope my theory is correct. At least it would give some kind of logic as to why they include some in sets and not others.
Quote from: Alan71 on April 26, 2019, 11:30:25 PM
Not sure if there's any kind of pattern starting to form, but it seems as though the coins included in the annual sets at the beginning of the year are issued into circulation, whilst the ones issued separately during the year are not. The Sherlock Holmes one was included in the sets, but Peter Rabbit, Gruffalo and Stephen Hawking weren't, and the latter three have been confirmed as having no circulation issues. A similar story with Paddington, the Snowman and the RAF £2 coins last year. Up until this year the Beatrix Potter coins were the exception to this.
I hope my theory is correct. At least it would give some kind of logic as to why they include some in sets and not others.
Both Paddington 50ps from last year were released into circulation, only the Snowman 50p wasn't. Not looking like any of the 2018 £2's will be released whether in the sets or not.
The BU packs of the 2 Pounds D-Day will be available from today.
Not quite sure where to put this - the Royal Mint have emailed this out in connection with the Royal baby, but it's really just a coin for any birth.
Anyway, it curiously uses the design of the 1971 to 2008 1p coin but replaces the numeral with the year. The obverse therefore doesn't have the date. They did one last year but that one had the numeral. Also, the font of "One Penny" looks to be different.
(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20190507/78c4c317da9d9e69352376dc5e68ef7a.jpg)
The D-Day 2 pounds coin will not be released into general circulation.
Hello eurocoin.
Do you know when the 2 pound coin of Captain Cook 2019 will come out?
Thank you.
Quote from: Rammstein on May 09, 2019, 08:49:32 PM
Hello eurocoin.
Do you know when the 2 pound coin of Captain Cook 2019 will come out?
Thank you.
The BU and Proof editions of the Captain Cook 2 pounds coin are expected to be released in the week starting May 20.
The individual BU and Proof editions of the Sherlock Holmes 50p coin will be released May 13.
The Royal Mint appears to not know what a £2 coin looks like, according to their email today...
(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20190513/bf0e383f22acd8bf22746820ad322cf8.jpg)
Well done, Alan Watson. Your inner detective has been duly encouraged. :D
Peter
Maybe the mint wanted to suggest that this piece will circulate about as much as a £2 coin. ;)
Christian
I know what it's like to work for a company that only cares about the $$$ chaaaa ching of the cash coming in. Who cares whether what is being done has any quality or not. I mean, to mix up a 50p and £2 is rather basic, you'd think.
Quote from: Alan71 on May 13, 2019, 09:46:04 AM
The Royal Mint appears to not know what a £2 coin looks like, according to their email today...
RM must stand for Right Muppets.
I did wonder, after seeing Peter's response, whether the Royal Mint's error was deliberate, but a second email later on disproves that.
"We are sorry if you noticed this mistake" - does that mean they're not sorry if you didn't? That you might not have realised it was a 50p coin, not a £2, and ordered it on that basis??
(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20190513/90ca997ce445b7d785b5b207e1dc32f8.jpg)
The Captain Cook 2 pounds coin of 2019 is now available. It looks very different fom what I had expected it to look like.
Quote from: eurocoin on May 21, 2019, 11:21:40 AM
The Captain Cook 2 pounds coin of 2019 is now available. It looks very different fom what I had expected it to look like.
Agree with you eurocoin. Certainly a strange design. Thought the design would have shown Cook looking through a telescope. Instead we are given a symbolic image of female (Venus) in depiction of the sun with a planet orbit to the left that doesn't cross the face of sun.
Not impressed at all. Spoils the three coin series.
Hope this embedded image will work. If not, click the link below or go to royalmint.com ...
(https://scontent-dus1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/61062551_2704041856337043_4722766194963120128_n.jpg?_nc_cat=109&_nc_ht=scontent-dus1-1.xx&oh=9f1d0e536868d034767b0f572f6d8fde&oe=5D54A96D)
https://scontent-dus1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/61062551_2704041856337043_4722766194963120128_n.jpg?_nc_cat=109&_nc_ht=scontent-dus1-1.xx&oh=9f1d0e536868d034767b0f572f6d8fde&oe=5D54A96D
The combination of the sailing ships, the map with Otaheite/Tahiti, and the Venus Transit reference make that side interesting. But I am not overwhelmed either.
Christian
The Royal Mint produced approximately 1,000 trial strikes for the Brexit 50p. These pieces have either a wrong or no Brexit date on them.
Though that's wrong as in Brexit didn't happen on the intended date of 29 March, not wrong as in a mistake made by the Mint.
At the rate we're going, an actual Brexit 50p issue could be a long way off, if at all.
I'm a bit lost on where we are with 50p and £2 issues... are any others expected this year, apart from the other five 50p coins for the 50th anniversary of the denomination, and a Christmas one? Wasn't there something about a further issue of the Isaac Newton design with a 2019 date?
The Christmas one is the Snowman & Snowdog.
There are also two new Paddington Bears outside St Paul's Cathedral & White Tower at the Tower of London
There will be another Newton 50p as part of the Innovators of Science series. Whether that coin will be issued this year is unknown. One of the other coins in the series will be a 50p for Charles Babbage.
At least 1 further 50p coin in that series will still be released this year but it is unknown which one.
Quote from: Alan71 on May 25, 2019, 01:11:58 AM
Though that's wrong as in Brexit didn't happen on the intended date of 29 March, not wrong as in a mistake made by the Mint.
Of course.
I contacted RM requesting the mintage figure of the 2019 Britannia 50p obtainable via 'strike your own coin.'
Their reply was:
"Although the Royal Mint has previously disclosed this information on an ad hoc basis it is now Royal Mint policy to publish mintage information in respect of its commemorative coin issues on its website at The Royal Mint (http://www.royalmint.com). In terms of commemorative coins mintages are determined as sales less returns. As a matter of course and to ensure integrity of our mintages (and to allow an appropriate period to account for all sales less returns) we publish mintage figures for commemorative coins (which will include 'strike your own coins') with a two-year delay. Mintage figures in respect of all 2019 commemorative coins will therefore be published around January 2022, and so on."
The second 50 years of the 50p set will be released this Thursday June 6.
Quote from: eurocoin on June 04, 2019, 06:55:14 PM
The second 50 years of the 50p set will be released this Thursday June 6.
Which makes sense, considering it contains the 1994 D-Day design, and it's the 75th anniversary of D-Day on Thursday 6 June.
As of June 27, the Strike Your Own Coin at the Royal Mint Experience will be the Sherlock Holmes 50p.
Quote from: eurocoin on June 17, 2019, 04:57:44 PM
As of June 27, the Strike Your Own Coin at the Royal Mint Experience will be the Sherlock Holmes 50p.
I see that tours are now strictly limited to one per day.
A tad expensive at £6.90 for SYO Sherlock 50p.
Quote from: eurocoin on May 25, 2019, 12:03:09 AM
The Royal Mint produced approximately 1,000 trial strikes for the Brexit 50p. These pieces have either a wrong or no Brexit date on them.
The trial strikes have the wrong Brexit date (29 March 2019) on them. The other side has the standard obverse that is being used for UK coinage. The pieces were minted on standard 50p blanks.
I wonder whether there will be a commemorative coin for England winning the Cricket World Cup.
Update: That didn't take long. The Lion of England 5 pounds coin that was first issued in 2017 in the Queen's Beast Series, then again last year, will once more be re-issued with the date 2019 for this occasion. ::)
Quote from: eurocoin on July 14, 2019, 08:31:49 PM
The Lion of England 5 pounds coin that was first issued last year in the Queen's Beast Series, will be re-issued with the date 2019 for this occasion. ::)
Not what you would call cricket specific.
Quote from: eurocoin on July 14, 2019, 08:31:49 PM
That didn't take long. The Lion of England 5 pounds coin that was first issued in 2017 in the Queen's Beast Series, then again last year, will once more be re-issued with the date 2019 for this occasion. ::)
Looks like RM have had a rethink. The £5 Lion of England offer appears to have been removed.
Wonder if they are going to consider a proper commemorative issue?
Quote from: Deeman on July 16, 2019, 04:36:57 PM
Looks like RM have had a rethink. The £5 Lion of England offer appears to have been removed.
Wonder if they are going to consider a proper commemorative issue?
The Royal Mint's FB post (https://www.facebook.com/theroyalmint/photos/a.261229033951683/2844489668958927/?type=3&__xts__%5B0%5D=68.ARAh_RN9eE6kN8ZXNPo14sExaT3-uRGErhDCixu4L64ZWVzvAIox-mRYoFSKRQtsn_shyXuuwo3WIxyjbTpF-d3ePEtxIDDwNpsNZX9Dp2mufxBdU1Z5FtiACxeVDOk1IUGFGM_mAGjF5aDm2OL4FZHG4FYNS5lVr2w_S0XNJ5q0YmHJoXq3svewzYwVPkS0BeZZGIsuHZtFN9TzaXUVf-O1mBpXiq5vsGw-G2tFXvNWgduWmZWOYYQ1fVYvwmab9sjstlGF3LMpEApE1AbASOWcdu5J4bLuYG2FLo75_b1EIjF5St0jMG7npXBKdngc13EA9a2Ljre5CRXWTfeUsUrvIQ&__tn__=-R) about the coin hasn't been deleted and it is still possible to register interest (https://www.royalmint.com/register-interest/register-your-interest---cricket/?fbclid=IwAR1GvZlfLjTeI-Zi0WvlT4vDKlrHCFDie9T5EFT-WwHPVrS4lXq5QtI2hl8) for it so I don't think the 2019-dated Lion of England 5 pounds coin for this occasion has been cancelled.
The Lion of England 5 pounds coin that is being re-issued for the Cricket World Cup win of England is now available here (https://www.royalmint.com/our-coins/interests/sport/Lion-of-England-2019-UK-5-pound-Coin/?fbclid=IwAR38ht9n-CSezdvuTaMGAnDTlT1FcXsS0zvmA1milEuz2SKRjHoRuG8fpDk). It will only be available until August 1.
The Royal Mint is going to issue more special editions of certain coins with their mintmark on them, like the new 1 pound coin a few years ago of which a limited edition was released with its mintmark. It is expected that (amongst others) future Strike Your Own coins will have The Royal Mint's mintmark on them.
Quote from: eurocoin on July 18, 2019, 07:07:17 PM
The Royal Mint is going to issue more special editions of certain coins with their mintmark on them, like the new 1 pound coin a few years ago of which a limited edition was released with its mintmark. It is expected that (amongst others) future Strike Your Own coins will have The Royal Mint's mintmark on them.
I hope they make the mintmark a tad bigger. It was rather miniscule on the £1 coin.
Quote from: eurocoin on May 25, 2019, 10:01:06 AM
There will be another Newton 50p as part of the Innovators of Science series. Whether that coin will be issued this year is unknown. One of the other coins in the series will be a 50p for Charles Babbage.
At least 1 further 50p coin in that series will still be released this year but it is unknown which one.
A proclamation was issued in Feb for a new inscription (date change) on the Isaac Newton coin. Nothing issued to date for Babbage. So a reasonable assumption would be that a Newton 50p will be the one to appear this year.
Proclamations issued in April for the two new Paddington coins, but nothing yet for the Snowman & Snowdog.
The Paddington at the Tower of London 50p coin will soon be available for sale. It will probably be released August 13.
Quote from: eurocoin on March 17, 2019, 11:57:35 AM
The Chancellor of the Exchequer has just announced on the Andrew Marr Show that the Brexit 50p coin will not be released into general circulation. It will be in sets and packs only.
Sajid Javid has scrapped the plan of Philip Hammond to release the Brexit 50p in sets only. Javid has asked the mint to produce millions in time for the Brexit date.
Are they playing it safe and not having the 31 October 2019 date on it? Boris may say it's do-or-die but the chances of it happening then - if at all - seem quite remote.
Quote from: Alan71 on August 10, 2019, 09:19:53 PM
Are they playing it safe and not having the 31 October 2019 date on it? Boris may say it's do-or-die but the chances of it happening then - if at all - seem quite remote.
No, the date will certainly be on the coins. I think there are no chances of it not happening on 31 October.
Chancellor's plan to mint millions of Brexit 50ps for 31 October
Millions of 50p Brexit coins are to be minted in time to mark Britain's departure from the European Union, according to reports.
The chancellor, Sajid Javid, has asked officials to consider whether it will be possible to produce the coins in volume ready for the UK's scheduled EU leaving date of 31 October, the Sunday Telegraph says.
Former chancellor Philip Hammond had planned a limited edition of 10,000 commemorative coins to be sold to collectors for £10 each.
Mr Javid's revised proposal for the coins to be produced for mass circulation is being seen as a statement of intent that the Treasury is committed to Brexit.
It is in contrast to Mr Hammond who angered Brexiteers with his warning about the likely economic impact of leaving the EU and his opposition to a no-deal.
The coins will still carry the words "Friendship with all nations" but will be stamped with the new departure date of 31 October 2019.
The Telegraph reported one possible snag could be that the new coin has to be signed off by a meeting of the Queen's Privy Council of ministers, which is not due to meet again until October.
Source: MSN (https://www.msn.com/en-gb/money/news/chancellors-plan-to-mint-millions-of-brexit-50ps-for-31-october/ar-AAFD2J4?li=AAnZ9Ug)
Quote from: eurocoin on August 11, 2019, 09:13:22 AM
No, the date will certainly be on the coins. I think there are no chances of it not happening on 31 October.
This will be really awkward if no-deal is stopped and the government brought down then! At the moment it seems unlikely that parliament will allow no-deal, and there are plenty out to stop it even if parliament doesn't get the chance. Oh dear, I'm not sure I want the coinage brought into this...
Quote from: Bimat on August 11, 2019, 09:33:11 AMThe Telegraph reported one possible snag could be that the new coin has to be signed off by a meeting of the Queen's Privy Council of ministers, which is not due to meet again until October.
This is not a problem at all. Her Majesty has already informally approved both the theme and design. Her official approval at the meeting, which is being published in the Gazette, is only a formality. It happens regularly that production of new coins starts before they have been gazetted.
Brexit 50p: Activists threaten boycott as treasury draws up plans for millions to enter circulation
Brexit 50p: Activists threaten boycott as treasury draws up plans for millions to enter circulation (https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/brexit-coin-50p-31-october-protest-sajid-javid-liberal-democrats-a9052436.html)
This is just getting silly. Maybe Big Brother should televise an event where Brexiter and Remainers throw these 50p coins at one another.
It's a stupid protest. Few will have the time or inclination to take them to a bank, they'll just spend them at the next available opportunity.
If one side can actually get something going, the other side will react and the end result will be "a tale full of sound and fury, signifying nothing."
That said, it is not a clever idea to issue a coin for anything so politicised and controversial, unless your intention is to drive population and parliament into a US-style partisan stalemate, which is a different stupid idea.
Peter
The Paddington Bear 50p series will consist of a total of 7 coins, which means that after this year 3 further coins will be issued.
A first look at the coins ahead of the release tomorrow:
Images of the silver proof coins are available for members (sent me a pm with your email address). Mintage of the silver proof is 25,000 pieces.
Coins for the year seem very political. On the one hand the Brexit coin that those who hate immigration will love. On the other hand a coin about a Peruvian immigrant in London.
The Paddington Bear 50p coins will be released into general circulation.
The Paddington Bear at St Paul's Cathedral coins, which are already available for pre-order, will be released starting September 12. Around that date they will also be released into general circulation.
ebay is full of the tower coins already.
Quote from: eurocoin on April 02, 2019, 04:32:29 PM
According to a source, the Royal Mint has cancelled plans for further BP 50p coins. This would mean that the coins featuring Mr Tod the Fox, Samuel Whiskers and Tommy Brock that were planned for this year will not be issued. If true, this is an unexpected decision as the minting dies of the other coins were for example already made.
I can now confirm that the 3 further Beatrix Potter 50p coins that were planned for this year will not be released. The reasons for this sudden decision were requested but the Royal Mint refused to provide them. A subsequent appeal against the Royal Mint's refusal to provide the information was unsuccessful.
Interesting... that's the second time this year, after they stopped more Beatrix Potter coins. It doesn't appear to make much commercial sense.
My message above was to confirm that the 3 Beatrix Potter coins will not be released. I have now made this more clear in my message. That their issuance was cancelled so far were only rumours.
Oops. Sorry, I somehow mis-read your post as the Paddington ones!
Quote from: Alan71 on August 25, 2019, 02:39:42 PM
Oops. Sorry, I somehow mis-read your post as the Paddington ones!
I am sorry to disappoint you.
The Royal Mint will this year issue yet another Gruffalo 50p coin.
Yes, Change Checker's graphic says "Rumour has it that the Gruffalo has been spotted in the deep dark wood..." which might give a clue as to its design. With Paddington and Gruffalo nonsense taking up the Royal Mint's time, I'm thankful they saw sense and stopped the Beatrix Potter series.
The news about a second Gruffalo 50p came completely unexpected. The decision to issue a second coin seems to have been taken suddenly and very recently.
Quote from: eurocoin on August 29, 2019, 10:32:26 AM
The news about a second Gruffalo 50p came completely unexpected. The decision to issue a second coin seems to have been taken suddenly and very recently.
This, together with the rather sudden cancellation of the Beatrix Potter series, makes one wonder what is going on behind the scenes... ???
Britain's Royal Mint drops plans to commemorate Enid Blyton due to her 'racist, sexist' views
Aug 28, 2019 · 12:11 pm
The Royal Mint, a government-owned mint that produces currency coins for the United Kingdom, has dropped its plans to commemorate author Enid Blyton by issuing a coin, due to her "racist, sexist and homophobic" views, The Independent reported on Tuesday. The Royal Mint had planned to engrave Blyton's face on a 50 pence coin.
However, members of the mint said the creator of The Famous Five, Noddy and The Secret Seven was "a racist, sexist, homophobe and not a very well-regarded writer", The Mail Online reported. The coin would have been released in November 2019 to commemorate the author's 50th death anniversary.
"The point of the advisory committee is to ensure that themes commemorated on UK coins are varied, inclusive and represent the most significant events in our history," a spokesperson for the Royal Mint said. "For these reasons not every event will progress to a UK coin."
British television presenter Richard Madeley lashed out at the Royal Mint. "It seems to me that if you were to draw a line in the year say 1955 and go backwards from there you could pretty much pick up anybody based on our modern values," he said. "There are social lines that have changed and you can't judge people by the standards of today, so actually I think personally to call Enid Blyton homophobic is ridiculous."
Source: Scroll (https://scroll.in/latest/935412/britains-royal-mint-drops-plans-to-commemorate-enid-blyton-due-to-her-racist-sexist-views)
Quote from: redlock on August 29, 2019, 07:34:40 PM
This, together with the rather sudden cancellation of the Beatrix Potter series, makes one wonder what is going on behind the scenes... ???
For a moment, I read that as "Harry Potter" series and was in shock! ;) If Royal Mint ever comes up with Harry Potter themed coins - I will be the first person to buy them!
Aditya
Quote from: Bimat on September 01, 2019, 09:57:05 AM
Britain's Royal Mint drops plans to commemorate Enid Blyton due to her 'racist, sexist' views
Aug 28, 2019 · 12:11 pm
The Royal Mint, a government-owned mint that produces currency coins for the United Kingdom, has dropped its plans to commemorate author Enid Blyton by issuing a coin, due to her "racist, sexist and homophobic" views, The Independent reported on Tuesday. The Royal Mint had planned to engrave Blyton's face on a 50 pence coin.
However, members of the mint said the creator of The Famous Five, Noddy and The Secret Seven was "a racist, sexist, homophobe and not a very well-regarded writer", The Mail Online reported. The coin would have been released in November 2019 to commemorate the author's 50th death anniversary.
"The point of the advisory committee is to ensure that themes commemorated on UK coins are varied, inclusive and represent the most significant events in our history," a spokesperson for the Royal Mint said. "For these reasons not every event will progress to a UK coin."
British television presenter Richard Madeley lashed out at the Royal Mint. "It seems to me that if you were to draw a line in the year say 1955 and go backwards from there you could pretty much pick up anybody based on our modern values," he said. "There are social lines that have changed and you can't judge people by the standards of today, so actually I think personally to call Enid Blyton homophobic is ridiculous."
Source: Scroll (https://scroll.in/latest/935412/britains-royal-mint-drops-plans-to-commemorate-enid-blyton-due-to-her-racist-sexist-views)
Wait until they find out about Churchill.....
Quote from: Bimat on September 01, 2019, 09:57:05 AM
British television presenter Richard Madeley lashed out at the Royal Mint. "It seems to me that if you were to draw a line in the year say 1955 and go backwards from there you could pretty much pick up anybody based on our modern values," he said. "There are social lines that have changed and you can't judge people by the standards of today, so actually I think personally to call Enid Blyton homophobic is ridiculous."
Madeley has a good point, but misses the point. As a youngster, I was a great fan of Blyton's "Famous Five" series. However, today that sentiment is nostalgia only. Enid Blyton's contribution to culture is zero. Already, there must be a number of cohorts succeeding mine that never heard of her. The same goes for Beatrix Potter. I am convinced that, in time, the same will be said of Joanne Rowling. This trio wrote perfectly nice entertainment for different age groups, but that's where it stops. So why should there be a long coin series for their work?
I think the answer is that the Royal Mint is in the process of changing from a coin producing government institute whose primary function is social to yet another purveyor of metallic pictures whose commercial target is the get-rich-quickly crowd. The purpose of their issues is turning from commemoration to guessing what the average Briton will buy.
This is nothing new. Any National Trust shop will give you clues: pastel colours, soft edges, dreamy, nostalgic and model homey is in. Historically correct, well researched, complicated, multi-faceted, technological and modernistic is out. Potter is perfect, Blyton is a biopic risk. If she's taken down for lack of leftist values, sales will suffer. That's the bottom line, not if you can or cannot blame her for being a child of her time. Give Rowling time, Bimat. The trend is in her direction and you got a lot of time ahead of you.
Peter
Quote from: Figleaf on September 01, 2019, 01:32:35 PM
Madeley has a good point, but misses the point. As a youngster, I was a great fan of Blyton's "Famous Five" series. However, today that sentiment is nostalgia only. Enid Blyton's contribution to culture is zero. Already, there must be a number of cohorts succeeding mine that never heard of her. The same goes for Beatrix Potter. I am convinced that, in time, the same will be said of Joanne Rowling. This trio wrote perfectly nice entertainment for different age groups, but that's where it stops. So why should there be a long coin series for their work?
I think the answer is that the Royal Mint is in the process of changing from a coin producing government institute whose primary function is social to yet another purveyor of metallic pictures whose commercial target is the get-rich-quickly crowd. The purpose of their issues is turning from commemoration to guessing what the average Briton will buy.
This is nothing new. Any National Trust shop will give you clues: pastel colours, soft edges, dreamy, nostalgic and model homey is in. Historically correct, well researched, complicated, multi-faceted, technological and modernistic is out. Potter is perfect, Blyton is a biopic risk. If she's taken down for lack of leftist values, sales will suffer. That's the bottom line, not if you can or cannot blame her for being a child of her time. Give Rowling time, Bimat. The trend is in her direction and you got a lot of time ahead of you.
Peter
Yes, totally agree there shouldn't really be a coin in the first place, however the reasoning to get rid of the coin is absurd really.
Jilly Cooper says Enid Blyton deserves commemorative coin after it emerged move blocked over 'racism and sexism'
ByJanet HughesSenior Digital Reporter
09:20, 2 SEP 2019
Gloucestershire author has Jilly Cooper backed calls for children's author Enid Blyton to be featured on a commemorative 50p coin.
Documents have revealed that the Royal Mint's advisory committee blocked the move in December 2016 branding the author as "racist, sexist, homophobe and not a very well-regarded writer".
But supporters argued she should not be judged against modern day standards and deserved the honour because she turned millions of children into readers.
The Daily Mail sparked the row when it obtained documents under the Freedom of Information Act which revealed the Royal Mint was considering producing the coin to mark the 50th anniversary of Blyton's death in 1968.
Blyton wrote more than 600 books, including series such as The Famous Five, The Secret Seven, The Naughtiest Girl, The Adventure Series, The Magic Faraway Tree, St Clare's and Malory Towers.
Birmingham-based professor Kehinde Andrews appeared on Good Morning Britain to argue that the author isn't 'worthy' of the honour.
But Riders writer Jilly Cooper is reported in the Daily Mail as saying: "Enid Blyton was a brilliant storyteller and her books have got millions of children hooked on reading. She definitely deserves a commemorative coin."
A spokesperson for The Royal Mint says their job is to ensure the coins represent the most significant events in our history - and not every proposal will progress to a UK coin.
Source (https://www.gloucestershirelive.co.uk/news/celebs-tv/jilly-cooper-says-enid-blyton-3273984)
A Wallace and Gromit 50p coin will be issued within the next few months.
The problem here is not the merits or otherwise of Enid Blyton, JK Rowling or for that matter Margaret Attwood and Salman Rushdie (choose whichever famous children's and adults' authors you wish). The problem is that all of these figures are too recent for anyone to be objective about their good or bad contributions to culture. People list them because they come easily to mind, rather than because they have greater intrinsic cultural value. The same is true if you ask people who the biggest villains are through history - sure, many will put the bloodthirsty dictators of the 20th century first, but how far down do you have to go before people start mentioning, say, Trump? No, I don't like him either, but I wouldn't put him on a par with some historical scumbags who never get a look in on these lists.
The BBC had the same problem when it ran a poll to find the "100 Greatest Britons". The results were hugely biased towards people whose contribution to society had been experienced in first or second hand by those voting. In other words, there were far too many 20th century figures at the expense of everyone else.
We need some distance on these issues. For cultural figures like authors, they need to be not only remembered at all but considered overwhelmingly positively three or four generations after they were active. Beatrix Potter probably slips through under those criteria: she is certainly remembered, though whether she is enough of a positive cultural icon I don't know. But a coin (singular) to commemorate her work was probably fair enough. For politicians and statesmen, the partisan nature of their work needs to have ceased to have relevance, while their wider legacy should endure.
But we should also not judge former ages by the standards of our own. It is all well and good to examine past behaviour and decide that we in our more enlightened condition would not choose to behave that way. It is quite another to base our decisions on whether to commemorate a given individual on how we see their actions in 2019 rather than how they were seen at the time.
Quote from: eurocoin on September 04, 2019, 02:35:08 PM
A Wallace and Gromit 50p coin will be issued within the next few months.
Somewhat unsurprising (as little can surprise these days) given as it's the 30th anniversary this year of the first Wallace and Gromit film.
After the Gruffalo, there really are few barrels left to scrape...
Quote from: FosseWay on September 04, 2019, 06:04:03 PM
But we should also not judge former ages by the standards of our own. It is all well and good to examine past behaviour and decide that we in our more enlightened condition would not choose to behave that way. It is quite another to base our decisions on whether to commemorate a given individual on how we see their actions in 2019 rather than how they were seen at the time.
Very well said!
Quote from: Alan71 on September 04, 2019, 07:16:59 PM
After the Gruffalo, there really are few barrels left to scrape...
How about Eric Carle's 'The Very Hungry Caterpillar' (1969)?
Quote from: eurocoin on August 10, 2019, 08:05:35 PM
Sajid Javid has scrapped the plan of Philip Hammond to release the Brexit 50p in sets only. Javid has asked the mint to produce millions in time for the Brexit date.
Given the unlikelihood of the UK leaving the EU on 31 October (indeed, ever leaving at all if no-deal is blocked from ever happening), I wonder what will happen to these millions of coins? Will they just get melted down?
Quote from: Alan71 on September 04, 2019, 10:38:08 PM
Given the unlikelihood of the UK leaving the EU on 31 October (indeed, ever leaving at all if no-deal is blocked from ever happening), I wonder what will happen to these millions of coins? Will they just get melted down?
Mass production of this coin had not yet started.
A coin dealer has issued 400 Peter Rabbit 50p coins of 2019 in BU quality into circulation.
The Royal Mint itself will not release the coin into general circulation.
The same coin dealer is going to release 750 pieces of the first Gruffalo 50p coin into general circulation.
Do you know what the dealer's reasoning is for doing this? Is it to try and increase trade? I'm assuming they're giving them out in change as they're struggling to sell them for much more than face value?
Are dealers supplied with loose coins that aren't struck for circulation then? Guessing Westminster/Change Checker are so they can put them in those blue cards, but I assumed it was just them as they must have some arrangement with the Royal Mint?
No, they are certainly not struggling to sell them. In fact I know that this dealer, Ian Lambert of the company the Great British Coin Hunt, bought all of these coins from Change Checker for 5 pounds each. What the reasoning behind this idea of his to release these coins into circulation is, I do not know. What I do know is that his decision to do this is part of a fight between him and his company on the one hand and the Royal Mint on the other hand. The dispute is being explained in YouTube videos that are several hours long, but I have summarized it below.
British coin dealers are angry at the Royal Mint. They find that the mint should always sell its products at the full retail price. The Royal Mint often has offers and sale on their website. Coin dealers, who too retail the Royal Mint's products, can not compete with these prices. So you have dealers investing a lot of money in the Royal Mint's products only to be undercut by The Royal Mint itself.
Furthermore the Royal Mint claims it does not sell wholesale itself. They have appointed distributors for that. As there are no Royal Mint distributors in the UK, coin dealers have to buy from the company Modern Numismatics International in the Netherlands. It takes usually 2 weeks but sometimes even longer from the launch of a product until they receive the coins. The Westminster Collection always starts sending out the coins on the day of their launch, meaning they must somehow get some special treatment, either from the Mint or Modern Numismatics International.
The Royal Mint also denied to Lambert in a reply to his Freedom of Information Request that they sell loose coins. That they in fact do sell loose coins, Lambert found out because of a slip of the tongue of a mint employee, during a later group phonecall with the legal counsel and the particular employee. In the videos the legal counsel is being accused of lying under Freedom of Information law. Now others dealers too want to buy loose coins, however the mint says it can not provide the names of the distributors where they can buy the loose coins from under the Data Protection Act. Dealers do not believe the Royal Mint's claim that they sell loose coins to companies other than the Westminster Collection too, as they simply cannot find them. The Royal Mint is being accused of having ran an illegal cartel for years fixing the price of loose coins. This summer suddenly several vague companies were set up which the Royal Mint now claims are its other distributors.
It seems that the Royal Mint in March of 2017 put pressure on Lambert. The mint trademarked the name of his company 'The Great British Coin Hunt', meaning that he would no longer be able to use it. Some time later the Mint suddenly cancelled their application for the trademark.
Lambert, who claims to have the support of several UK coin dealers, has launched a crowd funding campaign to raise funds for a lawsuit against the Royal Mint.
It has to be said that Mr Lambert himself does not have an all too good reputation either. On his website, in the past people could pre-order circulated coins, which he would sent out as soon as he had found them in circulation. Several of the coins he sold on pre-order later turned out not to be released into general circulation. Several clients never received their money back.
The Royal Mint will later today issue a special edition of the Britannia 50 pence coin. The coin has a special mark on its reverse and microtext on its rim. It will be available in copper-nickel, silver and gold. The coin pays tribute to the science that went into the 50 pence coin. It is unknown if it will also be released into general circulation.
(https://www.downies.com/media/catalog/product/cache/ecd051e9670bd57df35c8f0b122d8aea/2/2/22123-2-rev.jpg)
The new Strike Your Own coin at the Royal Mint Experience is the Britannia 50p coin with the special marks that can be seen above.
The coin will not be released into general circulation.
The pattern to the right of the "50" reminds me of the Spirograph patterns that I used to make as a child.
spirograph - Google Search (https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=spirograph&hl=en&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjTybuomOnkAhUESxUIHR3xAIYQ_AUIEygC&biw=1920&bih=933)
Quite imaginable, but in fact, the pattern is made of seven individual circles :'(
Peter
Quote from: Figleaf on September 24, 2019, 12:18:59 PM
Quite imaginable, but in fact, the pattern is made of seven individual circles :'(
Peter
There, there - no need to cry. :) Seven circles on a seven-sided coin. So there is logic there. Maybe Harry Potter could use this coin for his magic spells. 8)
Quote from: eurocoin on September 24, 2019, 10:08:22 AM
The new Strike Your Own coin at the Royal Mint Experience is the Britannia 50p coin with the special marks that can be seen above.
The coin will not be released into general circulation.
On sale on ebay. £20 + £2.70p&p, and someone as actually lodged a bid. How sad!!
Quote from: Deeman on September 28, 2019, 09:43:11 AM
On sale on ebay. £20 + £2.70p&p, and someone as actually lodged a bid. How sad!!
Why don't they order it from Westminster? £4.50 plus postage which is reduced if you order multiple items (as I did).
Quote from: Deeman on September 28, 2019, 09:43:11 AM
On sale on ebay. £20 + £2.70p&p, and someone as actually lodged a bid. How sad!!
That is not a lot, I expect the price will still rise significantly. It costs approximately 20 pounds to get 1 Strike Your Own coin from the Royal Mint Experience (13 pounds for the tour + 7 pounds for the coin). Of course the coin itself is also available in other packaging much cheaper but that is not an option for collectors who specifically collect the SYO coins and packaging.
Quote from: eurocoin on September 28, 2019, 08:43:23 PM
That is not a lot, I expect the price will still rise significantly. It costs approximately 20 pounds to get 1 Strike Your Own coin from the Royal Mint Experience (13 pounds for the tour + 7 pounds for the coin). Of course the coin itself is also available in other packaging much cheaper but that is not an option for collectors who specifically collect the SYO coins and packaging.
If you look at it that way its cheap because travel costs need to be taken into account. Never considered collectors specialising in SYO coins.
It seems that the Westminster Collection is going to loose a lot of money. The first coin dealers will very soon start selling BU 50p coins in very similar cardboard blister as WM uses for as low as £2.75 per coin (£4.74 inc. postage). The Westminster Collection sells these for £4.50 each (£7.49 inc. postage).
I expect that the price will decrease further.
Quote from: eurocoin on September 04, 2019, 02:35:08 PM
A Wallace and Gromit 50p coin will be issued within the next few months.
Will there be a proclamation issued for this coin? I have not seen one so far.
Same applies to the second Gruffalo issue.
Can some coins be issued by RM without a proclamation?
Quote from: Deeman on October 04, 2019, 09:31:28 AM
Will there be a proclamation issued for this coin? I have not seen one so far.
Same applies to the second Gruffalo issue.
Can some coins be issued by RM without a proclamation?
The issuance of the second Gruffalo and the Wallace and Gromit 50p coins has indeed not yet been gazetted. All UK coins have to be gazetted and as far as I know this has always happened before the coin is being issued. Although there is as far as I know no requirement to do this beforehand, in light of legal certainty etc. it is no more than normal that it happens before the coins are being issued.
The 2019-dated Peter Rabbit 50 pence coin was issued without Gazette proclamation, something that I have yet to discuss with their lawyer.
It is customary that coins that vary slightly from a coin that has been Gazetted (for example editions with a special mark or micro lettering) do not require a separate Gazette publication. The science edition of the 2019-dated Britannia 50p coin is an example of this.
As for error coins, if at least a part of the coins does not have the error, the Mint does not have to publish a seperate Gazette publication for the error coins. If all of the coins have the error they have to alter the existing proclamation.
Her Majesty does not formally approve coins in January, August and September which may explain why it has not yet happened.
Many thanks, eurocoin, for the clarification on proclamations.
Breaking news: Her Majesty the Queen has just officially approved the issuance of the Brexit 50p coin with the Brexit date 31 October 2019 on it. The Royal Mint will produce 10 million pieces for general circulation.
The following coins have now also been officially approved:
- The Snowman 50p coin will depict the Snowman and a boy.
- The Gruffalo 50p coin will depict the Gruffalo confronting a mouse in a wood.
- The Wallace and Gromit 50p coin.
Quote from: eurocoin on October 08, 2019, 07:56:33 PM
Breaking news: Her Majesty the Queen has just officially approved the issuance of the Brexit 50p coin with the Brexit date 31 October 2019 on it. The Royal Mint will produce 10 million pieces for general circulation.
Don't they ever learn? I'd have thought that the balance of probabilities is currently against Brexit happening on 31/10. It certainly isn't certain enough that I'd want to make that kind of wager, and if the coins end up being melted I would expect searching questions to be asked about wasting public funds.
It's an (expensive) political message: "See how determined I am?"
Peter
3 million of the over 10 million Brexit 50p coins that will be produced will be ready by October 31.
This is not supposed to be a political topic but, as I have always said, I am convinced that there will be Brexit on October 31.
Quote from: Figleaf on October 09, 2019, 10:44:59 AM
It's an (expensive) political message: "See how determined I am?"
Peter
Good chances for another humiliation for HM the Queen by Alexander de Pfeffel.
The Wallace & Gromit coin design depicts Wallace and Gromit with the inscription 'CASEUS PRAESTANS & WALLACE GROMIT.'
Caseus praestans means excellent cheese.
Quote from: Deeman on October 11, 2019, 02:29:46 PM
The Wallace & Gromit coin design depicts Wallace and Gromit with the inscription 'CASEUS PRAESTANS & WALLACE GROMIT.'
Caseus praestans means excellent cheese.
Or more specifically "cracking cheese" ;D
The 2019-dated Lion of England 5 pounds coin (https://www.royalmint.com/our-coins/interests/sport/Lion-of-England-2019-UK-5-pound-Coin/?fbclid=IwAR38ht9n-CSezdvuTaMGAnDTlT1FcXsS0zvmA1milEuz2SKRjHoRuG8fpDk) was not the only coin issued for the UK winning the Cricket World Cup. The Royal Mint also issued around 250 Cricket 10p coins in gold proof for the occasion. These coins were only sold to specific clients that received an invitation from the mint to buy the coin. The Cricket 10p is the only Alphabet 10p that was released in gold.
(http://www.worldofcoins.eu/forum/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=39617.0;attach=94910;image)
(http://www.worldofcoins.eu/forum/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=39617.0;attach=94909;image)
Quote from: eurocoin on October 08, 2019, 09:14:38 PM
The following coins have now also been officially approved:
- The Snowman 50p coin will depict the Snowman and a boy.
- The Gruffalo 50p coin will depict the Gruffalo confronting a mouse in a wood.
- The Wallace and Gromit 50p coin.
Did RM changed their minds about the Snowman coin design? Thought the 2019 issue was going to be about the Snowman & Snowdog (Hilary Ardus' 2012 story based upon Raymond Briggs' characters).
Yesterday it was exactly 50 years ago that the 50p was introduced. The Royal Mint published a video for the occasion.
A nice touch by the RM bringing Colin & David together again.
Quote from: eurocoin on October 12, 2019, 01:06:19 PM
The 2019-dated Lion of England 5 pounds coin (https://www.royalmint.com/our-coins/interests/sport/Lion-of-England-2019-UK-5-pound-Coin/?fbclid=IwAR38ht9n-CSezdvuTaMGAnDTlT1FcXsS0zvmA1milEuz2SKRjHoRuG8fpDk) was not the only coin issued for the UK winning the Cricket World Cup. The Royal Mint also issued around 250 Cricket 10p coins in gold proof for the occasion. These coins were only sold to specific clients that received an invitation from the mint to buy the coin. The Cricket 10p is the only Alphabet 10p that was released in gold.
I think it would be interesting to have a forum topic dedicated to to similar UK "exclusive" coins, i.e. not freely available from the Royal Mint online store.
What immediately comes to my mind are several 0.25oz Britannia coins - Peter Rabbit, Churchill, RAF and 1oz 999 silver - Waterloo, Shakespeare; Platinum 1oz. Start of WW1.
Quote from: Big_M on October 16, 2019, 06:24:27 PM
I think it would be interesting to have a forum topic dedicated to to similar UK "exclusive" coins, i.e. not freely available from the Royal Mint online store.
What immediately comes to my mind are several 0.25oz Britannia coins - Peter Rabbit, Churchill, RAF and 1oz 999 silver - Waterloo, Shakespeare; Platinum 1oz. Start of WW1.
Go ahead and do it, Big_M. You don't need anyone's permission.
Peter
The new Gruffalo 50 pence coin that will be available from 9am.
(http://www.worldofcoins.eu/forum/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=39617.0;attach=95013;image)
Discount code DSC273 for discount on all new Gruffalo products.
Update: The code has now been blocked.
The new Gruffalo 50p coin will not be released into general circulation.
Let's be thankful RM didn't issue a coin for the 15th anniversary (this year) of 'The Gruffalo's Child.'
Quote from: Deeman on October 17, 2019, 12:31:30 PM
Let's be thankful RM didn't issue a coin for the 15th anniversary (this year) of 'The Gruffalo's Child.'
Don't speak too soon... we had four years of Beatrix Potter coins, two (so far) of both Paddington and The Snowman, so the Gruffalo's Child is certainly a possibility, even if it's not in an anniversary year! It doesn't bother the RM for the others!
RM could have a field day with Paddington.
Remember when Paddington fever swept the nation at the end of 2014 with the release of the first Paddington movie, which put London on the big screen and saw a Paddington Trail around the capital of 50 small statues of the bear decorated by celebrities and artists.
Quote from: Big_M on October 16, 2019, 06:24:27 PM
I think it would be interesting to have a forum topic dedicated to to similar UK "exclusive" coins, i.e. not freely available from the Royal Mint online store.
What immediately comes to my mind are several 0.25oz Britannia coins - Peter Rabbit, Churchill, RAF and 1oz 999 silver - Waterloo, Shakespeare; Platinum 1oz. Start of WW1.
That's a good idea.
The design of the Wallace and Gromit 50p.
(http://www.worldofcoins.eu/forum/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=39617.0;attach=95026;image)
Quote from: eurocoin on October 09, 2019, 10:48:55 AM
3 million of the over 10 million Brexit 50p coins that will be produced will be ready by October 31.
This is not supposed to be a political topic but, as I have always said, I am convinced that there will be Brexit on October 31.
It's 20th October today but I guess that RM already started producing Brexit 50p to have it ready 3M of pieces as on 31th October... so seems that coins needs to be melted as yesterday UK officially asked EU to postpone Brexit till January and probably EU agree.
Quote from: MCz on October 20, 2019, 10:28:46 AM
It's 20th October today but I guess that RM already started producing Brexit 50p to have it ready 3M of pieces as on 31th October... so seems that coins needs to be melted as yesterday UK officially asked EU to postpone Brexit till January and probably EU agree.
The Royal Mint can produce over 5 million coins per day. Because of that I am fairly sure that production of the coins has not yet started. Furthermore I highly doubt the EU will agree to postpone the Brexit date.
Most decision makers in the EU-minus-UK still believe that a "no-deal" Brexit would have worse consequences than yet another delay. So if the UK needs some more time, why not ... And yes, the coin - be it a 2019 or 2020 issue - could be produced and even distributed within just a few days.
Christian
Brexit 50p: Millions of commemorative coins thrown into doubt as delay looms
Brexit 50p: Millions of commemorative coins thrown into doubt as delay looms (https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/brexit-50-pence-coins-delay-a9168306.html)
The Treasury declined to comment when approached by The Independent.
We can be sure that the government would have held a first strike ceremony for propaganda purposes. Since no such event happened, we can only assume that mass production of the coin had not yet started.
No, that's not evidence. "First strikes" are usually last strikes, as the mints want distribution to start immediately after the ceremony. No ceremony just means no distribution. It may be different in India.
Peter
As far as I know first strikes in the UK are real.
Mass production of the Brexit 50p coin for general circulation had apparently indeed already started. The production has now been paused and HM Treasury will in due course take a decision what will happen with the coins that have already been produced.
After the fiasco of the first coin dated 31 March (test pieces apparently produced) they should have removed the date from the coin design.
Production of Brexit 50p coin paused amid exit uncertainty
About 1,000 already-minted coins with '31 October 2019' leave date could be worth up to £800 each
Production of Brexit 50p coin paused amid exit uncertainty (https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/oct/25/production-of-brexit-50p-coin-paused-amid-departure-uncertainty)
Considering how many coins can be produced in an hour these days 1000 pieces is not much. One could still consider them ''test pieces'' ;D
The figure of 1000 has been mentioned for trial strikes for both Brexit coins.
Does this practice apply to all commemorative issues?
A thousand is too much for a trial run. It is more likely to be intended for distribution among dignitaries, those invited for the first strike ceremony and museums.
The WoC group was told of a similar situation during their Brussels visit: the 2 euro piece for the battle of Waterloo was not approved on EU level, yet production had already started. Only two left the mint legally. We saw one of them. It was not a test piece, but a coin in card, like the public would have had them if the issue had been approved.
Peter
That explanation makes a lot of sense.
Many thanks for your reply Figleaf.
In regard of the pieces dated 29 March 2019 The Royal Mint in the past informed me that: "We confirm that a small number of trial coins were produced as is standard procedure at The Royal Mint; approximately 1,000 trial coins were produced in total".
To me it seems that in regard of the pieces produced with the date 31 October 2019, no official information is known. The BBC has contacted The Royal Mint about this and the mint has refused to inform it how many pieces had so far been produced as it would be considered commercially sensitive information. To me that suggests that it is likely that the amount of pieces that had already been produced is much higher than just a trial run of 1,000 pieces. I think that yet another trial run would also not be very beneficial, given that only the date has changed.
By the end of the next week we will know more as 6 politicians (5 conservative, 1 labour) have sent written questions to the Treasurer about this situation.
All eyes will be on the Royal Mint if England next Saturday wins the Rugby World Cup. A win for the UK could have already been certain but Wales just lost the semi-final.
No Brexit coin this year then! Let's hope the saga is completed on 31 Jan 20.
The proverbial 'third time lucky'.
Quote from: Deeman on October 28, 2019, 03:51:47 PM
Let's hope the saga is completed on 31 Jan 20.
Agreed, it is about time. But as for the coin, Michael Deacon (Daily Telegraph) made a good suggestion (https://twitter.com/MichaelPDeacon/status/1186734713420955648) a few days ago:
Re the Brexit 50p coins: can they not just leave a space so you can fill in the exit date yourself with a pen
;D Christian
It is reported that the Brexit coins struck for the departure date of 31 October are to be recycled.
I wonder if those struck for the original Brexit date met the same fate?
Brexit
Bloomberg source mentions hundreds of thousands coins to be melted.
Bloomberg - Are you a robot? (https://www.bloomberg.com/amp/news/articles/2019-10-28/u-k-to-destroy-commemorative-50p-coins-in-brexit-meltdown)
In my opinion they do not look good at all. Available from 9 am on the Royal Mint website.
(http://www.worldofcoins.eu/forum/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=39617.0;attach=95207;image)(http://www.worldofcoins.eu/forum/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=39617.0;attach=95208;image)
As of today the Strike Your Own Coin at the Royal Mint Experience is the Wallace and Gromit 50p.
The Wallace and Gromit 50p will not be released into general circulation.
Most of the 8 questions that the Chancellor of the Exchequer received from 8 MPs relating to the Brexit 50p have now been answered. Economic Secretary John Glen, who answered the questions, refused to inform MPs how many coins with the date 31 October 2019 had so far been produced, as information on the Royal Mint's production lead times is considered to be commercially sensitive information.
In the replies to the other questions there was nothing that we did not yet know already.
Brexit meltdown: 50p coins with 31 October date to be recycled
Brexit meltdown: 50p coins with 31 October date to be recycled (https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/oct/29/brexit-meltdown-50p-coins-with-31-october-date-to-be-recycled)
The 50p coins minted to commemorate Brexit on 31 October are to be "recycled", the Treasury has confirmed.
The decision comes after ministers agreed last week to "pause" production of the special-edition coin by the Royal Mint because of concerns that plans to leave the EU at the end of the month were unlikely to be fulfilled.
It is understood that thousands of coins with Thursday's date on them will be melted down and the metal kept aside until the next Brexit date is agreed.
A Treasury spokesman said: "We will still produce a coin to mark our departure from the EU."
The coins were supposed to mark Britain's departure at the end of the month but the Treasury told the Royal Mint to begin stockpiling last week.
Officials waited before making a final decision about the coins until the EU heads of state agreed an extension to the Brexit deadline and it was clear that parliament would prevent the UK from crashing out without a deal on 31 October.
Once an extension was agreed on Monday and No 10 had made it clear its preference was to have a general election, officials were given the all clear to prepare for a future Brexit date.
About 3m coins were due to be ready to go into circulation under plans put in place by the chancellor, Sajid Javid. The coins bore the inscription "Peace, prosperity and friendship with all nations", above the leave date: 31 October 2019.
The cost of designing and producing commemorative coins was met by the Mint out of its own revenues, the Treasury said, and the costs of recycling would also be met by the Mint.
There was speculation that the thousands of coins minted so far could fetch a premium on the 50p cover price, possibly selling for as much as £800 each.
However, Brexit coins bearing the October date "will now be recycled", the Treasury said.
Javid's predecessor, Philip Hammond, had planned a limited edition of about 10,000 commemorative coins to be sold to collectors for £10 each in time for the first deadline on 29 March.
Westminster Collection discounts. Click on one or more of the following links to buy the specific BU coin(s) for 4,50 pounds each (free postage). The coins are being delivered in the blue card Change Checker packaging.
Gruffalo and the Mouse (recently issued): Your basket (http://www.westminsterorders.com/NDW762Q0)
Peter Rabbit 2019: Your basket (http://www.westminsterorders.com/NDW545M0)
Hawking: 2019 UK Stephen Hawking CERTIFIED BU 50p (http://www.westminsterorders.com/ALY724U0)
The Snowman 50 pence coin will be released tomorrow.
The Snowman 50p coin will be available from 9 am. The coin will not be released into general circulation.
The Earl of Courtown has just replied to a written question of an MP that approximately 1 million Brexit 50p coins were made with the Brexit date 31 October 2019. The coins will be melted down and the alloys recovered will be used for the production of new coins.
Earlier we already knew that approximately 1,000 Brexit 50p coins were made with the date 29 March 2019 on them.
Good bet that a few 31 October Brexit coins will escape the melting pot!
Quote from: Deeman on November 05, 2019, 06:53:28 PM
Good bet that a few 31 October Brexit coins will escape the melting pot!
That's human nature ;)
Do we know if RM are going to issue the Isaac Newton coin as part of the 'Innovators in Science' series before the year end?
A Charles Babbage issue has been previously alluded to, but there has been no such proclamation.
There has recently been no new information on future releases in the Innovators in Science series.
You can be sure that as soon as I have new information on things, I will post it on here.
Yes, I was wondering if the Snowman 50p is the last new UK coin issue for 2019. I'm assuming so, but these days it seems like there's almost one a week and it's hard to keep track...
There will still be a Christmas 5 pound coin this year too. It will depict a Christmas stocking filled with toys.
Thanks. That's good then, as I've long since stopped collecting £5 coins!
Maybe there is still the possibility of the Snowman & Snowdog making a surprise appearance nearer to Xmas. It was mentioned earlier in the year, albeit RM appear to have changed their minds and issued a second Snowman 50p instead.
Quote from: eurocoin on July 18, 2019, 07:07:17 PM
The Royal Mint is going to issue more special editions of certain coins with their mintmark on them, like the new 1 pound coin a few years ago of which a limited edition was released with its mintmark. It is expected that (amongst others) future Strike Your Own coins will have The Royal Mint's mintmark on them.
I don't think any have been issued as yet with the mintmark. Are any scheduled?
Quote from: Deeman on December 03, 2019, 11:08:52 AM
I don't think any have been issued as yet with the mintmark. Are any scheduled?
There was the Britannia 50p with a mintmark to celebrate 50th anniversary of 50p coin.
Since writing my message, no new products have been issued with the specific mintmark. I currently do not yet know of specific future products that will have the mintmark on them. As previously mentioned, if I have information you can be sure that I post it immediately on here.
Quote from: Big_M on December 03, 2019, 11:25:26 AM
There was the Britannia 50p with a mintmark to celebrate 50th anniversary of 50p coin.
I didn't consider the Spirograph style mark as a mintmark. I took it as a way of explaining the Reuleaux polygon.
The sheduled issuance of the Christmas 5 pounds coin that was going to depict a Christmas stocking filled with toys has allegedly been cancelled. Early this year formal royal approval had already been given for the issuance of the coin.
Some of the BU packs of the special science edition of the 2019-dated 50 years of the 50p Britannia coin (with privy mark and markings on the rim) contain the normal 2019-dated Britannia 50p.
The 2019-dated D-Day 2 pound coin in BU quality is currently available for 2 pounds (free postage) from the Westminster Collection here (https://www.westminstercollection.com/quickorder/details.aspx?qoc=999164H0&fbclid=IwAR0OnBET_QDURgzLFRSQfKprGrWWy8mHzZ_3stH_lkmUUYhVf1xd08kegnc).
The 2019-dated Gruffalo and the mouse 50p coin in BU quality is also currently available from the Westminster Collection for 50p (free postage) here (https://www.westminstercollection.com/quickorder/details.aspx?qoc=999512G0&fbclid=IwAR0wbEqbv5n_jjs1CrXmN9YhD39kAeWv7LQ97ABbNTWQy1TiYJr86Eb07JQ).
Thanks eurocoin. Although I already have both these two and the Brexit coin, it's worth buying again at face value with free postage! Bizarrely, if you search these three coins, they come up at normal price. They only come up at face value from your links.
Many thanks eurocoin. Both items ordered as well as the Brexit issue.
Will RM provide the coins to Westminster in a timely manner?
Still awaiting the VE £2 offer from May.
Quote from: Deeman on August 31, 2020, 10:10:05 AM
Many thanks eurocoin. Both items ordered as well as the Brexit issue.
Will RM provide the coins to Westminster in a timely manner?
Still awaiting the VE £2 offer from May.
I hope you also ordered the Megalosaurus 50p (http://www.worldofcoins.eu/forum/index.php/topic,46211.msg309289.html#msg309289), which I added later.
The first confirmation emails have now been sent out. The 50p coins are sheduled to be sent out on September 4.
As for the 2 pound coin this is currently unknown.
I did order the Megalosaurus 50p, eurocoin.
This morning I received confirmation emails about the delivery of the Brexit coin and, at last, the VE issue. Confirm both scheduled for despatch on the 4th.
These heads-up on such offers are very much appreciated.
Yes, I ordered the Megalosaurus one as well. At face value and free postage, it's a no-brainer. I don't really understand why they're doing it though. By paying postage, they're making a loss on these. Presumably profits on the full-price products are so high that they can afford it.
Perhaps they were after your name and address or your email address so they can spam you for the rest of your life and beyond? Remember that in a few months, the UK will no longer have GDPR on the books.
Peter
Quote from: Figleaf on September 02, 2020, 07:56:13 PM
Perhaps they were after your name and address or your email address so they can spam you for the rest of your life and beyond?
Considering that the Westminster Collection is the largest coin dealer in the UK, I am sure they will have already had the details of Deeman and Alan71 anyway. ;)
They wouldn't be after collectors. Their commercial targets would be the get-rich-quickly crowd as that is who the UK mint are targeting.
Peter
Received a Paddington Bear at the Tower in change today. First one.