Posts Tagged ‘Alan Turing’
JUST IN: Exciting new coin releases for 2022 confirmed
We’ve just had word of some exciting new coin releases for 2022!
The Royal Proclamation from 15th December 2021 has confirmed a number of new coins for 2022.
Here’s what we know so far, and how you can sign up to be the first to add them to your collection!
New 50p to mark 100 years of the BBC
From covering breaking news stories, Children in Need and sporting events, to Strictly Come Dancing, period dramas, and even the Queen’s Christmas Speech, the BBC is a favorite across the nation.
As the BBC marks 100 years next year, The Royal Mint will be releasing a special 50p coin to mark this milestone moment!
50th Anniversary of Pride
To mark the 50th anniversary since the first Pride event in 1972, a 50p will be released in commemoration. Excitingly, elements of the pride flag will feature on the reverse alongside the inscription “PRIDE PROTEST VISIBILITY UNITY EQUALITY”.
Commemorating the life on Alan Turing
Famous for cracking the German WWII Enigma machine, and laying the foundations for the early computers, Alan Turing will be featuring on a UK 50p next year. Commemorating the achievements throughout his life, the reverse will feature a depiction of Turing against a background of letters.
Whilst the design is currently TOP SECRET, we’ll bring you more information as soon as we have it.
Time to revisit the Hundred Acre Wood!
It has also been announced that the Royal Mint will be returning to the Hundred Acre Wood in 2022 with the final part in the Winnie the Pooh coin series.
Three new 50p coins will be released and this time Kanga and Roo, and Eyeore will be joining Winnie the Pooh and friends on our UK coins.
The designs for all three coins are currently under embargo, but given the popularity of the previous 6 coins, these next three coins are sure to be a hit with collectors!
Duke of Cambridge £5 Coin
A new Royal £5 will be issued commemorating the Duke of Cambridge. The reverse will feature a portrait of the Duke of Cambridge, accompanied by his cypher and his age – presumably in celebration of his 40th Birthday next year
Peter Rabbit £5
A new Peter Rabbit £5 will be released, with a depiction of the lovable Rabbit to mark 120 years since the release of the Children’s tale.
£2 Coin series
It’s also been confirmed that a series of £2 coins will be reissued next year, in celebration of the 25th Anniversary of the £2 coins. It’s set to see the likes of Charles Darwin, the Centenary of WWI £2 series, Mary Shelley, and the 75th Anniversary of D-Day return to our coins next year.
And, to make sure you don’t miss out on adding these coins to your collection as soon as they are released, you can sign up to the UK Official BU Pack Subscription Service below.
The UK Official BU Pack Subscription Service
Don’t miss your chance to get ahead of the crowd on launch day and be one of the very first collectors to be sent the latest UK New Issue coins, guaranteed at The Royal Mint issue price on launch day!
Find out more and sign up by clicking here: https://www.westminstercollection.com/lp2021/official-uk-coin-pack-subscription.aspx
FIRST LOOK: The most secure banknote yet…
The new polymer £50 note featuring mathematician Alan Turing has officially been released by the Bank of England and I’ve just managed to get my hands on one!
In keeping with Turing’s code-breaking legacy, the Bank of England have described their polymer notes as the most secure series of banknotes yet.
And in my latest video I give you a FIRST LOOK at what special security features have been worked into the design of our newest banknote…
If you’re interested…
The secrets hidden in the NEW Alan Turing £50 banknote…
Whether you love them or hate them, it’s fair to say that when the Bank of England issued the very first polymer banknotes, UK currency was revolutionised. As well as refreshing the designs of the notes, these polymer versions were considered a cleaner, safer, and stronger alternative.
In 2016 it was the £5 that received the first makeover, and Winston Churchill was selected to feature on the note. Jane Austen soon followed on the £10 note and JMW Turner was selected to feature on the £20 polymer note last year.
Now, the scarcest and largest banknote in circulation – the £50 banknote – has received the same polymer makeover treatment, and on 23rd June 2021 the brand new polymer banknote featuring Alan Turning was released.
But it’s not only the design that makes this note special. You see, the Bank of England have described their polymer notes as the most secure series of banknotes yet. So, I’m of course curious to see what special security features have been worked into the design of our newest banknote…
Britain’s most secure banknote
Before the revolutionary polymer £50 came along, The Bank of England estimated that there were over 350 million £50 paper banknotes in circulation in the UK in 2021 – the lowest number of all UK banknotes.
Last year, approximately 20,000 counterfeit £50 notes were seized by The Bank of England – the second highest number of counterfeits out of all UK banknote denominations. When you consider that, it’s understandable that the need to make the new £50 polymer banknote difficult to counterfeit was at the forefront of the designer’s mind!
Let’s take a look at some of the security features incorporated into the design:
- Transparent windows – the foil in the large see-through window is green and gold on the front, and silver on the back. Within the gold foil squares the image changes between ‘50’ and a ‘£’ symbol when tilted. Plus, there’s a second, smaller window in the bottom corner.
- Changing holograms – the hologram beneath the large clear pane will alternate between reading ‘Fifty’ and ‘Pounds’ depending on what way you tilt the note.
- The Queen’s portrait in the transparent window – the Queen’s portrait is printed on the window with ‘£50 Bank of England’ printed twice around the edge.
- Foil patches – a silver foil patch contains a 3D image of the coronation crown. There is a second red foil patch which contains the letters ‘AT’.
- Ultra-violet technology – under UV light, the number ’50’ appears in bright red and green on the front of the note, against a duller background.
- Raised dots – you’ll find four clusters of raised dots in the top left hand corner. This tactile feature helps blind and partially sighted people identify the value of the note.
Alan Turing design
In 2018 the Banknote Character Advisory Committee chose to celebrate the field of science on the £50 note. Following this, nominations were accepted by the public over six weeks, accumulating over 225,000 nominations and 989 individual characters for consideration. 12 names were shortlisted, and Alan Turing was finally selected by the Governor of the Bank of England.
The note itself features a portrait of Turing based on a photo taken in 1951 by Elliot & Fry which is part of the Photographs Collection at the National Portrait Gallery. The artwork on the reverse of the note celebrates Turing’s pioneering mathematics and work with computers.
Most notably the design features technical drawings for the British Bombe, the machine specified by Turing and one of the primary tools used to break Enigma-enciphered messages during WWII.
Stationed at Bletchley Park, he played a pivotal role in cracking intercepted coded messages that enabled the Allies to defeat the Nazis in many crucial engagements, including the Battle of the Atlantic. It’s estimated that this work shortened the war in Europe by more than two years and saved over 14 million lives.
What do you think about the new £50 Polymer note? Let us know in the comments!
If you’re interested…
If you’re looking for a way to own this significant, revolutionary piece of British currency, then look no further than the UK 2021 £50 Polymer Banknote DateStamp™ issue. Each DateStamp™ issue has been postmarked by Royal Mail with the note’s first day of release – 23rd June 2021 – forever ensuring its provenance.
First issues are always valued by collectors and by owning the DateStamp™ issue you will be one of just 995 collectors able to forever mark the date the new £50 polymer banknote entered circulation. We have a limited number available, so click here to find out more >>