The Winner of the Blue Peter Coin Design Competition is Revealed

13 Oct 2009

Nine-year-old Florence Jackson, from Bristol, is revealed as the first child ever to work with the Royal Mint to design a UK coin. Florence won the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to design a coin celebrating London 2012 by taking part in a Blue Peter competition. The competition proved one of the show's all time most popular, with Florence's design beating over 17,000 other entries.

Florence Jackson said: "I am so excited. It was a real surprise to win. I'd never entered a Blue Peter competition before, but really wanted to take part because I love drawing. I chose high-jump because I'd watched it on TV before and thought it looked fun. It was amazing to visit the Royal Mint and see my picture turned into a coin. I can't wait to see it in my pocket money!"

Florence's design for the Blue Peter 50p Winner's Edition coin is only the 17th design to appear on the UK's 50p.

Florence was joined by Olympic gold medallist Denise Lewis and Blue Peter presenter Andy Akinwolere at the Royal Mint to strike her first coin and was officially announced as the competition winner on Blue Peter. Her winning design depicts the high-jump, celebrating the Olympic and Paralympic sport of Athletics, and is available to buy now as a commemorative coin. The design will be found on millions of 50p coins in people's change next year.

Denise Lewis said: "Florence has done all Olympians and Paralympians proud. Her design is simple and effective and I'm honoured to say I saw it first. Florence is a very deserving winner and her coin is a great illustration of how everyone can be a part of London 2012."

Florence's winning design is the first in a series of 29 officially licensed London 2012 50p coins, designed by the nation that will act as lasting mementos of the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, the UK's most significant sporting events for this generation. The remaining 28 designs will be revealed from 2010, the result of the Royal Mint's biggest ever competition for the public to design the UK's coinage. Each coin will depict a different Olympic or Paralympic sport.

As an official Licensed Product of London 2012, the Blue Peter 50p Winner's Edition coin features the London 2012 logo.