• The final coin in the Winnie the Pooh and Friends collection, inspired by Disney, launches today featuring the loveable bear and some of his closest friends on an official 50 pence
• The designs are inspired by the original watercolour illustrations of E. H. Shepard, brought to life on UK coin using traditional craftsmanship and innovative colour printing technology
• The release completes the nine-coin collection available in base and precious metals, and special colour edition
• To mark the conclusion of the series, visitors to The Royal Mint Experience can strike their own coin from Monday 22 August 

The Royal Mint has completed its popular Winnie the Pooh and Friends coin collection, inspired by Disney, with the launch of a collectable 50 pence featuring Pooh and some of his closest friends.  

The final coin in the treasured nine-coin collection, the new 50p features a woodland scene with the loveable bear and his Hundred Acre Wood friends Tiger, Eeyore and Piglet. The design is inspired by the original illustrations of E. H. Shepard and has been brought to life using British craftsmanship and innovative colour printing technology at The Royal Mint.

The Royal Mint’s designer Daniel Thorne worked with Shepard’s timeless illustrations for the collection, which also sees Winnie the Pooh, Owl, Tigger, Christopher Robin, Piglet, Eeyore and Kanga and Roo miniaturised on the reverse (tails) side of the coin. Adding an original twist, Thorne included a signature bee motif to the classic designs, uniting each of the coins in the Winnie the Pooh and Friends collection.     

Collectors can purchase the new 50p design individually and as part of the Winnie the Pooh and Friends collection in gold, silver, base metal, and special colour edition.

The Royal Mint’s Director of Collector Services Rebecca Morgan said: “Coin collecting is a popular hobby, and the Winnie the Pooh and Friends 50p collection is one which unites generations of coin collectors to share their enjoyment. Based on the original illustrations of E H Shepard, the designs evoke childhood memories for people of all ages, and we are absolutely thrilled with the final design which combines Pooh and his pals as they embark on their final adventure on official UK coin.”   

The Royal Mint’s designer Daniel Thorne said: “Working on Disney’s Winnie the Pooh and Friends collection has been a fantastic experience, as a designer and a Winnie the Pooh fan. With each design, I had to devote so much care and attention to remastering the iconic E. H. Shepard illustrations for the canvas of a coin, while staying true to the texts people know and love. As I reflect on the collection, I really hope collectors appreciate the beauty in each design and have enjoyed the special colour editions which really bring the classic tales to life. While I will miss working on this collection, as a coin collector I am thrilled to get my hands on the final coin in the series, which is my favourite 50p so far!” 

Prices start from £10 for brilliant uncirculated and £20 for brilliant uncirculated colour edition. To mark the conclusion of the series, visitors to The Royal Mint Experience can strike their own Winnie the Pooh and Friends final 50p coin from Monday 22 August.

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About The Royal Mint

With a history spanning more than 1,100 years, The Royal Mint is Britain’s oldest companies and the original maker of UK coins.  Today The Royal Mint is a premium British maker, providing carefully crafted coins and precious metal products for the UK and overseas.  Based in Llantrisant, South Wales it has three main focuses as a business: Currency, Consumer (collectable and rare, historic coins) and precious metals investment.

Collecting with The Royal Mint:

Every coin tells a story, from a rare gold Sovereign to a Peter Rabbit™ 50p coin. The Royal Mint aims to inspire collectors young and old, and nurture a love of collecting through unique designs and popular themes. As the maker of UK coinage, we have unparalleled knowledge about coins, from the historic coins of our past, through to the collectable commemorative coins of today.  Sourcing and authenticating pre decimal coins is a natural fit for The Royal Mint as we struck each one.

Investing with The Royal Mint:

As a world authority on precious metals, The Royal Mint has traded and made products in gold and silver for centuries. Since launching its designated precious metals investment arm six years ago, The Royal Mint has grown rapidly to become the home of gold in the UK – increasing its market share and becoming the largest producer of bullion coins in Britain. As well as offering physical precious metal investment options in the form of bars and coins, The Royal Mint also offers a range of digital investment options including DigiGold, Little Treasures, designed for children, and Gold for Pensions

Celebrating with The Royal Mint:

For over a thousand years The Royal Mint has marked the moments that changed the world on coins - from coronations to conflict, from commemorations to celebrations. The designs are captured on commemorative coins, minted in a range of metals.  Commemorative coins do not always enter circulation but give collectors the chance to purchase coins to keep and cherish.  Recent themes have included David Bowie, Winnie the Pooh, Decimalisation and Team GB. Each commemorative coin is carefully struck up to three times in order to create a superbly detailed finish, and ensuring each one meets the standards The Royal Mint is famous for. 

The Royal Mint Experience

The Royal Mint opened its popular visitor centre, The Royal Mint Experience, at its home in Llantrisant, South Wales in 2016. The award-winning attraction welcomes around 200,000 visitors a year and is the place to explore the 1,100-year history of coins.

Images

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