Posts Tagged ‘Literature’
Step into Narnia and discover The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe 50p
Cast your mind back to childhood, a time of bedtime stories and wild imaginations…
A story that most of us vividly remember is The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, the inspiration behind the latest UK 50p.
An introduction to children’s fantasy literature
First published in 1950, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe was the first novel in The Chronicles of Narnia collection, and is perhaps the best known book by author C. S. Lewis. For many, it was an introduction to the fantasy literature genre, with characters such as Mr Tumnus and Aslan holding a special place in our memories.
Credit: Pixabay, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
A magical design
It’s actually Mr Tumnus who features on this brand new UK 50p, alongside Lucy Pevensie who can be seen walking arm in arm through a snowy Narnia together.
Pauline Baynes’ design, which is based on illustrations from the original publication, is the perfect tribute to this classic tale of fantasy fiction. If you have fond memories of the story, or if you just can’t resist newly issued UK coins, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe 50p would make an excellent addition to collection.
Secure yours here for just £5.99 (+p&p) >>
Previous UK coins based on literature
Beatrix Potter 50ps
The Beatrix Potter 50ps are perhaps some of the most popular 50p coins amongst collectors. For many collectors, these are the coins that inspired them to start the hobby, especially younger collectors.
The Beatrix Potter 50p series started in 2016 with the Beatrix Potter 50p, issued to mark 150 years since the birth of the legendary author. The series continued over the next 4 years, with 50ps featuring beloved characters from the famous tales, such as Mrs Tiggy-Winkle, Mr Jeremy Fisher and Flopsy Bunny. And of course, Peter Rabbit himself made an appearance in the series, not once, but four times!
Winnie the Pooh 50ps
Another literary favourite, Winnie the Pooh, featured on a series of 50p coins issued between 2020 and 2022. Characters from the Hundred Acre Wood such as Tigger, Piglet and Eeyore joined Winnie the Pooh himself in this 9 coin series, which proved incredibly popular with both new and seasoned collectors.
All silver proof versions of the 2020 Winnie the Pooh 50p sold out in less than 12 hours, and the 2022 Eeyore 50p sold out in a matter of hours at The Royal Mint.
And the list goes on, as literary characters such as the Gruffalo, the Snowman, Paddington Bear and even authors such as J.R.R. Tolkien, Jane Austen and Charles Dickens have also featured on our UK coins – amongst some of the favourite releases for many collectors.
Don’t miss out!
So, when you consider the popularity of other UK coins that have been based on children’s literature, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe 50p is set to be highly sought after.
‘Pioneer’ of the historical novel, Sir Walter Scott, commemorated on UK £2 coin…
Scottish novelist, poet, historian, and biographer, Sir Walter Scott, is often considered both the inventor and the greatest practitioner of the historical novel.
Sir Walter Scott’s early work consisted of poetic romances but his earlier books, set in Scotland, demonstrate his knowledge of Scottish history and society. His works were some of the most popular literary pieces of his time.
In the 250th anniversary year of his birth, The Royal Mint have issued a £2 coin, commemorating him and his remarkable career.
2021 UK Sir Walter Scott £2
The coin, designed by Stephen Raw, features the text: “SIR WALTER SCOTT NOVELIST HISTORIAN POET” encircled by the inscription “250TH ANNIVERSARY OF HIS BIRTH” and the year date.
Excitingly, this coin also features the edge inscription, “THE WILL TO DO, THE SOUL TO DARE”, a quote from his epic poem, ‘Marmion: A Tale of Flodden Field’.
Issued initially as part of the 2021 Annual Coin Set, this is the first chance collectors have had to secure this individual coin to their collections.
Available in Brilliant Uncirculated quality for JUST £8.99 (+p&p), you can secure this coin today by clicking here >>
Sir Walter Scott joins an impressive portfolio of authors, poets, novelists to be commemorated on UK coins. Continue reading to find out more…
2020 William Wordsworth £5
To mark the 250th anniversary of the birth of William Wordsworth, The Royal Mint issued this £5 coin and it was the first time that the famous poet was celebrated on a UK coin.
He is one of the most popular poets to have written in the English language, gaining popularity during the beginning of the English Romantic period in literature.
Designed by David Lawrence, designer of the 2018 and 2019 Britannia, the reverse features lines taken from one of Wordsworth’s most celebrated poems, ‘Tintern Abbey’.
To secure this coin for your collection for JUST £10.99 (+p&p), in Brilliant Uncirculated quality, click here >>
2020 Agatha Christie £2
This £2 coin was issued in 2020 to mark the 100th anniversary of Dame Agatha Christie’s genre-defining murder mysteries.
An author of 66 detective novels and 150 short stories, Agatha Christie has justly earned the title of the ‘Queen of Crime’. Towards the end of her career, she was made a Dame of the British Empire for her contribution to literature.
The reverse design of this coin, by David Lawrence, depicts a jigsaw puzzle with a question mark, representing the mystery behind her stories.
You can secure this coin for your collection for £8.99 (+p&p) by clicking here >>
2018 Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein £2
This £2 coin was issued by The Royal Mint to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the publication of Mary Shelley’s famous novel Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus.
Whilst on holiday in Geneva Mary Shelley and her poet friends, including Lord Byron and future Husband Percy Shelley, decided to have a competition to see who could write the best horror story.
Out of this Mary Shelley created Frankenstein, a story about a scientist’s scary act at playing God and creating life. It went on to become one of the best loved gothic novels.
The reverse of this gothic coin was designed by Thomas Doherty and features the words ‘Frankenstein’ in an electric gothic font.
2017 Jane Austen £2
In 2017, to celebrate the life and works of one of Britain’s best-loved authors, The Royal Mint issued this Jane Austen £2.
Jane Austen is one of the best-loved English novelists from the 19th century. Her novels were revolutionary and from her first novel, Sense and Sensibility, readers began a love affair with her fiction that has lasted two centuries.
Designed by Dominique Evans, a portrait of Jane Austen features on the reverse of this coin. It did not enter general circulation and was issued in collector quality only.
2016 Shakespeare £2 coins
William Shakespeare is the most influential literary figure in British history and his works are an important part of Britain’s cultural heritage.
In 2016, a series of three £2 coins were issued to mark the 400th anniversary since his death and to celebrate his greatest works.
Each coin’s design takes inspiration from some of Shakespeare’s greatest works, including Macbeth (pictured central), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (far right) and his most-famous love tragedy, Romeo and Juliet (pictured left).
All three coins entered circulation but the Comedy £2 has the lowest circulating mintage – just 4,355,000!
2016 Beatrix Potter 50p
To celebrate the 150th anniversary of the birth of Beatrix Potter, the Royal Mint have released this 50p to celebrate Beatrix herself.
Designed by Emma Noble, the coin includes elements that celebrate Beatrix as the artist behind some of the best-loved characters in children’s literature along with the nostalgic font used for the inscription.
This coin entered general circulation and has a mintage of 6,900,000.
The Sir Walter Scott £2 was initially issued as part of the 2021 UK Annual Coin Set but this is the first time that collectors will have the chance of securing this coin individually for their collections.
Will you be adding it to your collection? Let us know in the comments below!
Secure the 2021 UK Sir Walter Scott £2 for your collection!
Secure the brand new 2021 UK Sir Walter Scott £2 for your collection for JUST £8.99 (+p&p) by clicking here >>
Your coin has been protectively encapsulated in Official Change Checker packaging with that all-important hologram to guarantee its superior quality.
Brand new Agatha Christie £2 celebrates 100 years of mystery!
Agatha Christie’s first novel The Mysterious Affair at Styles was published in 1920 and it kick-started the nation’s love of her detective novels and murder mysteries.
In 2020, to mark 100 years since her first publication, The Royal Mint celebrates the world’s best-selling novelist with this brand new 2020 UK Agatha Christie £2.
2020 UK Agatha Christie £2
David Lawrence’s design of this coin pays homage to Christie’s crime novels, with a piece of a jigsaw slotting into place and her signature at the bottom.
The coin also features the edge inscription ‘100 years of mystery 1920’-2020’ to mark this very special anniversary.
Issued initially as part of the 2020 Commemorative Coin Set, this brand new £2 coin has just been individually released and is available in Brilliant Uncirculated quality for JUST £8.99 (+p&p)
Murder, Mystery, and Masterpieces
After the end of the First World War, Christie published her first novel The Mysterious Affair at Styles. This incredibly popular story introduced readers to one of Christie’s most famous characters – Belgian detective Hercule Poirot*.
Writing well into her later years, Christie wrote more than 70 detective novels as well as short fiction. Her books have been made into films, television, and radio programmes. In 1971, she was made a Dame of the British Empire for her outstanding contribution to Literature.
In 2020, she is celebrated once more with this brand new £2 coin and she becomes another UK author to be commemorated on UK coinage…
2016 Shakespeare £2 Series
William Shakespeare is the most influential literary figure in British history and his works are an important part of Britain’s cultural heritage.
In 2016, a series of three £2 coins were issued to mark the 400th anniversary since his death and to celebrate his greatest works.
Each coin’s design takes inspiration from some of Shakespeare’s greatest works, including Macbeth (pictured right), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (central) and his most-famous love tragedy (pictured left).
All three coins entered circulation but the Comedy £2 has the lowest circulating mintage – just 4,355,000!
2017 Jane Austen
In 2017, to celebrate the life and works of one of Britain’s best-loved authors, The Royal Mint issued this Jane Austen £2.
Jane Austen is one of the best-loved English novelists from the 19th century. Her novels were revolutionary and from her first novel, Sense and Sensibility, readers began a love affair with her fiction that has lasted two centuries.
Designed by Dominique Evans, a portrait of Jane Austen features on the reverse of this coin. It did not enter general circulation and was issued in collector quality only.
2019 Sherlock Holmes 50p
In 2019, to mark 160 years since the birth of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, The Royal Mint issued this 50p coin.
The prolific writer is best known for his incredibly popular detective stories featuring the fictional Sherlock Holmes™. It is said his works revolutionised the crime genre, and despite Doyle sharing an ambivalent relationship with his famous character, Holmes’ popularity resulted in Doyle becoming one of the best-paid authors of the time.
The reverse has been designed by Stephen Raw and features a silhouette of Sherlock smoking a pipe, surrounded by a few of his most-famous story titles.
It entered general circulation but the exact mintage figures have not been confirmed yet!
2012 Charles Dickens £2
The Charles Dickens £2 coin was issued by The Royal Mint in 2012 to commemorate the 200th anniversary of one of Britain’s most famous and beloved writers.
His enchanting stories, vivid characters and depiction of Victorian life are widely acknowledged across the world by critics and scholars alike and his novels and short stories continue to be widely popular.
The design features Dickens’ recognisable profile crafted from the titles of his most famous works and is a favourite amongst collectors.
This coin was released into general circulation and has a mintage of 8,190,000.
2018 Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein £2
This £2 coin was issued by The Royal Mint to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the publication of Mary Shelley’s famous novel Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus.
Whilst on holiday in Geneva Mary Shelley and her poet friends, including Lord Byron and future Husband Percy Shelley, decided to have a competition to see who could write the best horror story. Out of this Mary Shelley created Frankenstein, a story about a scientist’s scary act at playing God and creating life. It went on to become one of the best loved gothic novels.
The reverse of this gothic coin was designed by Thomas Doherty and features the words ‘Frankenstein’ in an electric gothic font. It features the edge inscription, Bicentenary of Mary Shelley’s The Modern Prometheus.
It did not enter general circulation.
2016 Beatrix Potter Anniversary 50p
To celebrate the 150th anniversary of the birth of Beatrix Potter, the Royal Mint have released this 50p to celebrate Beatrix herself.
Designed by Emma Noble, the coin includes elements that celebrate Beatrix as the artist behind some of the best-loved characters in children’s literature along with the nostalgic font used for the inscription.
This coin entered general circulation and has a mintage of 6,900,000.
We love seeing Britain’s best-loved authors come to life on our UK coins, but which author coin is your favourite? Comment below!
Secure the 2020 UK Agatha Christie £2 to your collection today!
To secure yours in Brilliant Uncirculated quality for just £8.99 (+p&p) click here >>
* AGATHA CHRISTIE, POIROT and the Agatha Christie Signature are registered trademarks of Agatha Christie Limited in the UK and elsewhere. All rights reserved.