The coins of 2017
The coins of 2017
From the introduction of the new £1 coin to the commemorative designs released to mark significant anniversaries and national celebrations, 2017 is a significant year for UK coins. Commemorative coin designs have been released to mark the 200th anniversary of the death of Jane Austen; Sir Isaac Newton’s substantial influence on science, mathematics and minting; the 100th anniversary of the House of Windsor; the 200th anniversary of the modern Sovereign; the 1000th anniversary of the coronation of King Canute; the First World War centenary commemorations continue, and there’s still more to come! Below, we take a look at the coins we have released so far in 2017.
Celebrating Beatrix Potter and Her Little Tales
In 2016 The Royal Mint struck a series of coins to mark the 150th anniversary of Beatrix Potter's birth, honouring the gifted artist and author. The nation's love for Beatrix and her tales inspired The Royal Mint to celebrate even more of her characters in 2017: Peter Rabbit, Jeremy Fisher, Benjamin Bunny and Tom Kitten.
Sir Isaac Newton 50p
Sir Isaac Newton was the intellectual giant of the seventeenth century’s ‘Scientific Revolution’. He changed our understanding of mathematics and physics, redefined the way we see the world and shaped the security of our currency in his role as Master of the Mint. In 2017, we celebrate his genius on a UK 50p coin.
The New £1 Coin
For more than 1,100 years The Royal Mint has paired technology and innovation with continuity and tradition. In 2017 the public has seen the new 12-sided £1 coin, hailed as the most secure coin in the world, enter circulation.
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First World War Aviation £2
In 2017 we continue our First World War centenary commemorations with the fourth £2 coin, in a five-coin series, which honours the aviators of the First World War. At the outbreak of the First World War few people believed that aircraft would play a major role in the conflict. As the war developed into the bloodiest conflict ever seen, the race for superior air power began, shaping the history of human flight as we know it.
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Jane Austen £2
200 years after her death, Jane Austen remains one of the best-loved authors in the world. Her novels were revolutionary in their treatment of subjects such as love, marriage and money; and from her first novel, Sense and Sensibility, readers began a love affair with her fiction that has lasted two centuries. In 2017 we celebrate the life and works of Jane Austen.
The Queen's Sapphire Jubilee £5
In her long reign Her Majesty The Queen has marked Silver, Golden and Diamond Jubilees and the nation has celebrated with her each time. As The Queen reaches an unparalleled milestone of 65 years since coming to the throne – the first and only British monarch to celebrate a Sapphire Jubilee – The Royal Mint has created an official UK coin to mark the moment.
The House of Windsor £5
In 2017 we mark the 100th anniversary of the House of Windsor, which came into being in July 1917 by proclamation of George V. At this time, the Royal Family gave up the German name of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha which had come to them in 1840 with the marriage of Queen Victoria to Prince Albert. This decision was largely due to anti-German feeling during the First World War and, with a new name, a new royal dynasty was born.
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King Canute £5
In 2017 we mark the 1000th anniversary of the coronation of King Canute. A Viking warrior crowned ‘king of all England’ in 1017, King Canute’s achievements and influence paved the way for the nation we recognise today.
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The Sovereign 2017
The Sovereign is the epitome of quality and beauty, with a reputation as ‘the chief coin of the world’. Its story may be more than five centuries old, but two centuries ago the gold coin set new standards for accuracy that defined a currency. In 2017 we celebrate the 200th anniversary of the design created by Benedetto Pistrucci that has endured for two centuries.
2017 Lion of England,
Queen’s Beasts
The Lion of England is the first coin in a new series of Proof coins that represent The Queen’s Beasts – a series of statues which stood guard outside Westminster Abbey at the coronation of Her Majesty The Queen (Queen Elizabeth II), each representing a particular heraldic story from The Queen’s ancestral history.
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2017 Lunar Year of the Rooster
The Lunar Year of the Rooster coin is the latest in The Royal Mint’s Shēngxiào Collection. Combining centuries of Chinese tradition with British minting craftsmanship, the collection celebrates the 12 animals of the Chinese zodiac, each with their own unique characteristics and qualities. Chinese New Year occurred on 28 January 2017, and marked the start of the Year of the Rooster – the tenth animal in the zodiac, and the fourth in our series.
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More commemorative coins coming soon
It has been, and will continue to be, another exciting year for UK commemorative coins. To be among the first to find out when new commemorative coins are released, register your interest here and follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
More circulating coins coming soon
The Sir Isaac Newton 50p, the new £1 coin, the First World War Aviation £2 and the Jane Austen £2, have already entered, or will all enter circulation in 2017. But that’s not all! There are more commemorative designs to be released that will also enter circulation. To be among the first to find out when these coins are released, register your interest here and follow us on Facebook and Twitter.