17 September 2018
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The Royal Mint have issued a new 50p coin dedicated to popular children’s character Paddington Bear
The Royal Mint have issued a new 50p coin dedicated to popular children’s character Paddington Bear, with a second design set to be issued in August, both celebrating the sixtieth anniversary of the publication of the first book 2018 marks the 60th anniversary of A Bear Called Paddington.
The coin is available in Brilliant Uncirculated cupro-nickel (for £10), as a silver-proof coin (limited to 75,000, priced at £60), and in gold-proof (with a mintage of 1,250 and priced at £780).
The design of the coin, by the Royal Mint’s own designer David Knapton shows the friendly bear sitting on his suitcase at Paddington Station. The second design will show Paddington waving a Union Jack flag outside Buckingham Palace.
A number of the coins were discovered before the official release date of 18 June, prompting examples to be sold for high prices on ebay.
However, the reported ebay sale price of £16,000 for an ‘accidental release’ coin is not thought to be a bonafide closing figure with modern coin experts ChangeChecker stating: ‘it’s unlikely that the transaction will ever complete at that price and certainly it’s not the time to be bidding on ebay for the new coin as The Royal Mint has confirmed the release date.’
Meanwhile, a statement from The Royal Mint said:
‘As this is the first time The Royal Mint has issued a series of 50p coins featuring our friendly childhood favourite Paddington, we anticipate that these coins will be highly collectable… Volumes will be struck and enter circulation in line with UK demand.’
