- Circulation: 7,000,000
- Year issued: 2013
- Value circulated: 50p
- Value circulated in excellent condition: £2.00
- Value uncirculated: £8.00
- Composition: cupro-nickel
- Scarcity index: 1
The Tales of Beatrix Potter are known and loved throughout the World so the Royal Mint released a set of 50p coins to commemorate the 150th anniversary of her birth. The Mrs Tittlemouse 50p was issued in 2018 and is very popular with children, who love trying to collect the whole set.
History of the coin
New coinage was needed when the country adopted decimal currency in 1971. The process began in 1968, when the 5p and 10p pieces were issued and the 50p was issued the following year.
Under the previous system, 1 shilling was equal to 12 pennies and there were 20 shillings to one pound. The new system was much easier with 100 pence to £1. The new coins all had the same Britannia design on them and the new 50p had 7 equal sides.
The 50p coin is commonly used for commemorative issues, and Mrs Tittlemouse is part of the Beatrix Potter collection.
About Mrs Tittlemouse
Mrs Tittlemouse first appeared in the Tale of the Flopsy Bunnies. Her own story, The Tale of Mrs Tittlemouse, was published in 1910.
Mrs Tittlemouse is a wood mouse. She lives in a hedge and likes to keeps a clean and tidy home. Her home is, however, constantly used by insects who leave mess everywhere, and spiders who leave cobwebs.
One day she sees her neighbour Mr Jackson, the toad, sitting in her rocking chair. His own home is in a ditch so he drops water everywhere and leaves wet footprints. As Mrs Tittlemouse follows him cleaning up his footprints, they find insects in various rooms in the house.
Eventually everyone is moved outside and Mrs Tittlemouse gives her home a good spring clean. She also makes her door smaller so that Mr Jackson can’t get in.
The Mrs Tittlemouse 50p was one of 4 Beatrix Potter coins issued in 2018.
How many Mrs Tittlemouse 50p coins were made?
The Mrs Tittlemouse 50p had a circulation of 1,700,000 when it was issued in 2018.
Design and Designer
- Front design:
Mrs Tittlemouse appears on the front of the coin, carrying a basket. The words ’Mrs Tittlemouse’ appear across the top.
- Obverse design:
Jody Clark’s portrait of Queen Elizabeth II appears on the obverse.
- Designer: Emma Noble
Emma Noble designed all of the coins in the Beatrix Potter collection.
She has been an engraver with the Royal Mint for many years and used her experience to make each character as close to Potter’s own interpretation as possible. Emma studied the original drawings and copied them so that they would transfer easily to a coin.
As a result, every coin is easily identifiable and the set is a tribute to Beatrix Potter’s illustrations as well as to her tales.
Information
- Circulation: 1,700,000
- Year issued: 2018
- Value circulated: 50p
- Value circulated in excellent condition: £3.00
- Value uncirculated: £10.00
- Composition: cupro-nickel
- Scarcity index: 30
Variations
The Royal Mint released 1,700,00 Mrs Tittlemouse 50p coins in to circulation.
- Brilliant uncirculated coins are available
- Silver Proof coins with coloured design
