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Breaking news from Wonderland! Don’t be late for this very important tea party…
It’s been 150 years since Lewis Carroll penned his famous fantasy children’s book Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and its sequel Through the Looking-Glass.
Now, in exciting, breaking news, according to the Royal Proclamation published on 28th May, Alice and the inhabitants of Wonderland will be the stars of a NEW UK coin series issued by The Royal Mint!
Our sources in Wonderland are being very secretive about these new issues, even the Mad Hatter is being unusually quiet, so not many details are known at the moment. But if you want to be kept up to date and be the first to know when these NEW coins are released, just register your interest at the end of this blog.
Whilst we wait for further details to be revealed, let’s take a look at the Royal Proclamation and what we know so far…
Two special Alice-inspired coins
According to the Royal Proclamation published on 28th May, there will be two coin designs inspired by Carroll’s two books – Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass.
They will be released in a variety of specifications, including base metal £5 and precious metal versions in varying denominations. The designs are said to include:
- A depiction of Alice and the Cheshire Cat sat in a tree accompanied by the inscription “ALICE’S ADVENTURES IN WONDERLAND”
- A depiction of Alice and characters the Tweedledee and Tweedledum and the inscription “THROUGH THE LOOKING-GLASS”
I don’t know about you, but we’re all mad here, madly excited that is, to see these designs come to life on UK coins!
High demand expected
Lewis Carroll’s nonsense fairytale about a girl called Alice is undeniably one of the best-known and most popular works of English-language fiction. Its popularity is clear when you consider it’s been adapted into theatre and ballet shows, not to mention several blockbuster Disney films.
Alice collectables are in high-demand – a ‘legendary’ 1865 first edition of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland (one of only 22 known to be in existence) went under the hammer in 2016 for £1.3-£2 million. This confirms that these NEW UK COINS will surely be highly sought-after.
Register your interest
No launch date is known yet for these coins, but if you want to be the very first to hear any updates make sure you sign up below! We will only contact you with regards to this launch, your details will not be used for any other purposes.
By signing up we’ll make sure you’re the first to know any updates about these new coins, including when they are launched – so you won’t be late for this very important tea party…
All you need to know about the new Prince Philip memorial stamps
Just a few days ago Royal Mail announced four stamps dedicated to Prince Philip, honouring his life and 70 years of service to the nation.
The black and white images featured on these new stamps tell a story of the Prince’s life, beautifully capturing him at different stages throughout, including visiting the Royal Windsor Horse Show and attending the passing out parade of Prince Andrew.
The stamps won’t be released until next month, but when they are a limited number will be postmarked with the first day of issue, and many collectors will be eager to add these important commemoratives to their collection.
But this isn’t the first time that stamps were issued to mark significant moments in Prince Philip’s life. In 1972 a set of stamps featuring both the Queen and Prince Philip were issued to mark their Silver Wedding anniversary. Designed by Jeffery Matthews, they are still in popular demand with collectors today as it was the first time the Prince and the Queen featured on a stamp together.
Of course, these stamps aren’t the only memorial commemorative issued to mark the long life and achievements of His Royal Highness. In 2017, a special UK £5 Brilliant Uncirculated commemorative coin was issued by The Royal Mint to mark Prince Philip’s retirement from public duty. It features a portrait of the young Prince by Humphrey Paget, and due to collector demand it’s now unavailable at The Royal Mint.
Collectors have also been sourcing historic coins to pay tribute to Prince Philip – specifically coins from 1921, the year in which His Royal Highness was born, which have increasingly been incredibly difficult to find. At over 100 years old, with precious metal content, and having been issued in a significant year, they have always been popular with collectors.
In the coming months, many more commemoratives are sure to be released to mark the life and achievements of His Royal Highness, Prince Philip. His Royal Navy career and contributions to charity, and his pioneering of the Duke of Edinburgh scheme made him one of the most accomplished and dedicated senior Royals in history. We will remember him for many things, and these new stamp releases are sure to play a part in that.
If you’re interested:
Prince Philip Memorial Historic Coin and Stamp Collection: JUST 250 AUTHORISED.
You can pre-order the brand new Prince Philip stamps, postmarked on the first day of issue, the 2017 sold out £5 coin, and a collection of historic coins issued in the year of the Prince’s birth – but only 250 will ever be issued. Click here to find out more.
As if by magic…Mr Benn 50p coins appeared!
‘As if by magic the shopkeeper appeared…’
For the generation of children who watched Mr Benn, those words heralded the beginning of yet another magical adventure for Mr Benn.
Incredibly it’s been 50 years since the postman first arrived at No 52 Festive Road with Mr Benn’s invitation to a fancy dress party… and so started his first adventure. Since then Mr Benn has fascinated millions of children with his adventures as he walked through that magical changing room doorway.
And so, to celebrate the 50th Anniversary year, a special set of British Isles 50p coins have been released by Guernsey Treasury and fully approved by Her Majesty the Queen.
Check out the coins below and all the information you will need to order. They are certainly something that Mr Benn would have been sure to “keep carefully just to remind me”.
The Complete Brilliant Uncirculated 50p Set
This stunning collection features all five new 50p coins, each struck to a Brilliant Uncirculated quality and featuring Mr Benn on four of his most popular adventures – the Red Night, Clown, Cook and Spaceman. These go perfectly with the official Mr Benn centrepiece coin.
What’s more, the coins will come protectively housed in bespoke presentation pack that has also been designed specifically for your coins.
This complete set is a must-have for anyone who grew up watching Mr Benn, so if you’d like to secure one for your collection for JUST £31.25 (+p&p) then click here >>
The STRICTLY LIMITED Mr Benn Silver 50p Coin
The Silver Proof version of the 50p coin features a nostalgic design of Mr Benn, alongside a stylised ’50’ with colours inspired by Festive Road. The obverse features the Queen’s effigy by Jody Clark.
The coin has been struck to a flawless Proof finish from .925 Sterling Silver with selective vivid colour printing to bring the design to life – this really is a must-have for any Mr Benn fans.
The Silver Proof editions are without a doubt the collector’s favourite and almost always acquire fast sell-outs and with an edition limit of JUST 4,995 coins, time is short to secure one for your collection…
Click here to guarantee yours >>
The ULTIMATE Mr Benn Silver Proof 50p Collection
One of the most limited way to own these brand new coins is the Silver Proof Collection. With only 1,995 available to collectors worldwide, a sell-out in inevitable. In fact, it’s the same edition as the first Peter Pan Silver Proof 50p Set which completely SOLD OUT.
Each coin is struck from .925 Silver, to a Proof finish, with the addition of colour and comes ready to present in case with numbered Certificate of Authenticity.
Don’t miss out on yours… Click here >>
The Complete Brilliant Uncirculated 50p Cover Collection – JUST 495 available
If you are looking for something truly special and unique, look no further than the Complete Mr Benn Cover Collection. Limited strictly to just 495, each collection features all five Mr Benn Brilliant Uncirculated 50p coins alongside specially licensed philatelic label from Royal Mail on individual covers.
Almost certainly, this is the smallest edition presentation of the new 50p coins that you’re likely to see and they are exclusively available from The Westminster Collection.
From a collector’s point of view, the decision is obvious. Click here to secure yours >>