Beatrix Potter

04 Jan 2016

The Royal Mint has launched a limited edition 2016 commemorative 50p coin series to mark the 150th anniversary of the birth of Beatrix Potter, the author and artist whose illustrated animal tales have delighted generations of children worldwide.

Honouring the woman who is known for her inspiring work in the fields of science, conservation and publishing, as well as her writing and illustration, Royal Mint Engraver Emma Noble has created a design that celebrates Beatrix herself - the artist behind some of the best-loved characters in children’s literature.

This 2016 50p coin has been endorsed by Frederick Warne & Co (a Penguin Random House company) and is available in Gold Proof (750 limit, presented in a wooden case), Silver Proof Piedfort (2,500 limit, black presentation case) and Silver Proof (7,500 limit, black presentation case). All three are accompanied by a booklet on Beatrix’s life, her talents and her legacy, and a certificate confirming the limited edition mintage. Unlimited Brilliant Uncirculated variants of the coin are presented in a fold-out wallet, decorated in the style of Beatrix’s own illustrations, and telling the story of her life.

Designer Inspiration: Emma Noble, Royal Mint Engraver

Emma Noble is an experienced member of The Royal Mint’s team of engravers. She has designed several commemorative United Kingdom coins, including the coin struck for the diamond wedding anniversary of Her Majesty The Queen and His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh. She also created the coin celebrating the 60th anniversary of The Queen’s coronation, the 2012 Remembrance coin and more recently, a coin honouring King George I.

Emma’s design captures the spirit of the multi-talented Beatrix Potter, with an inscription echoing the font we are so familiar with from her tales. She has included elements celebrating Beatrix as the artist and illustrator behind some of the best-loved characters in children’s literature.