The Royal Mint unveils a 50 pence celebrating The Snowman™, alongside an exclusive ‘sketch-a-long’ for fans

• The Royal Mint, in collaboration with Snowman Enterprises Ltd (a Penguin Random House company), has today launched a new 50 pence celebrating Raymond Briggs’ much loved Snowman
• The 2020 coin features a poignant design of The Snowman hugging James by Robin Shaw, illustrator and animator.
• To celebrate the coin’s launch, The Royal Mint has released a ‘sketch-a-long’ to help budding animators create their own drawings of The Snowman

The Royal Mint, the original maker of UK coins, together with Snowman Enterprises Ltd, has today unveiled a brand new 50 pence featuring one of Britain’s most iconic festive characters, The Snowman™ *

The collectable coin range celebrates Raymond Briggs’ classic tale with a new design created by Robin Shaw, award-winning animator and illustrator.  Shaw was also the art director on The Snowman and The Snowdog animation, the heart-warming sequel to the original television adaption.

The poignant design shows The Snowman and James hugging, reflecting how the timeless tale brings people together at Christmas. To celebrate the new coin and provide a fun activity at home, The Royal Mint worked with Robin Shaw to create an exclusive ‘sketch-a-long’ for fans. The online class, available via The Royal Mint’s website, provides hints and tips to help budding animators create their own Snowman drawings and share them via #SnowmanSketchalong.

The 2020 Snowman coin comes in a range of finishes – including brilliant uncirculated, silver proof and gold proof – and arrives in beautiful packaging which explores the classic Raymond Briggs’ tale. There is also the option to purchase colour coins, which bring Shaw’s design to life using the latest printing technology.

Robin Shaw, Designer of The Snowman 2020 coin, and award winning animator and illustrator, said: “I’m delighted to have worked with The Royal Mint once more to bring The Snowman to life on a fifty pence. In a year where many of us have been separated, The Snowman helps remind us of the importance of a hug and our love for one another. In creating the 2020 design I wanted to capture this unique bond between The Snowman and James in recognition of Raymond Briggs’ timeless tale which unites us each Christmas.

“I’m looking forward to seeing all the fantastic drawings created through our special The Snowman sketch-a-long. As a child I was inspired by Raymond Briggs 1978 book and the 1982 television adaptation, so I’m excited to see what this generation of budding illustrators and animators comes up with.”

Clare Maclennan, Divisional Director of Commemorative Coin and The Royal Mint Experience, at The Royal Mint said, “We’re excited to launch our third coin celebrating the magical story of The Snowman. Raymond Briggs’ classic characters are a tradition of the festive season for many families across the country, and we’re delighted to continue The Snowman and James’s adventures on a fifty pence.

“Each year our coins celebrating The Snowman prove incredibly popular with adults and children alike, and we hope this year’s design depicting a hug will be a poignant addition to the collection.”

This is the third commemorative Snowman coin released by The Royal Mint in collaboration with Snowman Enterprises and officially licensed by Penguin Ventures (part of Penguin Random House UK), with previous coins released in 2018 and 2019.

First published in 1978 and adapted for television in 1982, Raymond Briggs’ heart-warming story of childhood innocence continues to delight young and old alike. Watching The Snowman with the whole family has become a much-loved Christmas tradition.

Reuniting two familiar friends in a warm embrace, this year’s coin, the third to be released by The Royal Mint in collaboration with Snowman Enterprises Ltd, has once again been designed by award-winning animator and illustrator Robin Shaw. Inspired by the hand-drawn illustrations of the original picture book, it captures the bond between the boy and his snowman beautifully.

This is a commemorative coin and will not be entering circulation. Visit www.royalmint.com/snowman to view the range and find out more.