- Circulation: 6,900,000
- Year issued: 2016
- Value circulated: 50p
- Value circulated in excellent condition: £3.50
- Value uncirculated: £10.00
- Composition: cupro-nickel
- Scarcity index: 2
The Beatrix Potter 150th Anniversary 50p was released as part of a series of coins commemorating her birth. This coin has the dates of her birth and death and is a lovely addition to the set which includes all of her best loved characters. The set just wouldn’t be complete without this coin.
History of the coin
In the late 1960s the Royal Mint started to design and produce new coinage for the decimal system. One of the earlier coins minted in 1969 was the 50 pence piece, which was to replace the 10 shilling note. It still has its original 7 sided shape, but the size of the coin was reduced in 1997.
In 2016, they released a set of coins commemorating the 150th anniversary of the birth of Beatrix Potter. The set depicts her wonderful characters, and one of the coins commemorates her own life.
Beatrix Potter was very interested in nature and the countryside and every year her family returned to the Lake District, where she continued to study the wildlife. Her illustrations were turned in to the stories which are still popular today.
About Beatrix Potter
Beatrix Potter was born in 1866.
Her family holidayed in Scotland and the Lake District and it was here that she developed her interest in the natural world.
She had many pets and some of them were turned in to the characters in her stories. She produced many illustrations of flora, fauna and fungi, which got her recognised as a respected mycologist. Some of her illustrations were also used for greetings cards.
She eventually turned to writing and her first book, The Tale of Peter Rabbit was self published in 1902. Such was the popularity of this book, that she was able to write full-time and wrote 30 books in total.
She used the proceeds to help buy land in the Lake District, where she bred sheep and took an interested in preserving the land. When she died in 1943, she left most of her land and property to the National Trust.
How Many Beatrix Potter 150th Anniversary 50p Coins Were Made?
The Beatrix Potter 150th Anniversary 50p was produced in 2016 as part of the 1st collection of Beatrix Potter 50p coins. Approximately 6.9 million of these coins were circulated.
Design and Designer
- Front design:
The coin has her silhouette at the top, with Peter Rabbit underneath. Across the middle are the words ‘Beatrix Potter’ with 1866-1943 underneath. On either side is a row of flora and fauna.
- Obverse design:
The reverse has the 5th portrait of the Queen by Jody Clark.
- Designer: Emma Noble
Emma Noble is responsible for all of the designs in the Beatrix Potter collection.
She is both a designer and engraver and she has worked at the Royal Mint for many years. Her other coin designs include the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and the 1966 FIFA World Cup.
As sole designer for the Beatrix Potter coins, she has used her experience to create perfect likenesses of all of the characters and the Beatrix Potter coin combines all aspects of Beatrix’s life. Each design is then transferred to a coin using her engraving skills.
Variations
The Beatrix Potter 150th Anniversary 50p was minted in 2016 as part of the collection of Beatrix Potter 50ps. Approximately 6.9 million were put in to circulation.
- Silver and Gold proofs are available
- Brilliant Uncirculated were also produced
