Going Rogue: Han Solo and Chewbacca Feature on UK Coins

Discover the story behind the final coin design in our
UK coin collection inspired by Star Wars™.

Over the last five decades, the Star Wars™ franchise has produced countless hours of incredible entertainment that has expanded even further since Disney’s acquisition of Lucasfim in 2012. Despite a wealth of new content, the original trilogy holds a special, nostalgic place in the hearts of many for its game-changing impact on sci-fi filmmaking and its revolutionary innovation of the space opera subgenre. As a result, many of the characters that made their debuts on the big screen in the original films have become iconic in their own right, not only within the Star Wars zeitgeist but also across cinema and pop culture as a whole.

Two of the most beloved of all these characters are the popular pairing of Han Solo™ and Chewbacca™. The crew of the Millennium Falcon made an immediate impact from the moment they graced the silver screen, endearing them to fans around the world in the process. Charismatic and rebellious, Han Solo became a sci-fi legend under the stewardship of Harrison Ford and the role catapulted the actor to Hollywood superstardom. Meanwhile, Chewbacca was an instant hit due to his unique look and imposing aura as a literal towering presence in the series, aided by Peter Mayhew, the man beneath the suit.

As such, our collection inspired by iconic duos of the Star Wars franchise reaches a fitting finale with the design for the fourth and final coin dedicated to this treasured tandem. Presented in the original attire the character wears in Star Wars: A New Hope™ (1977), Han Solo appears dressed in his classic combination of white shirt, black waistcoat and blue trousers, complete with a holster belt and his famous DL-44 blaster. Meanwhile, Chewbacca towers over Han Solo in sizeable fashion just as he did throughout the ‘Skywalker Saga’, adorned in fur and brandishing his trademark bandolier across his torso. In addition to each character gracing the foreground, the space in the background displays the unmistakable exterior of the iconic Millennium Falcon, specifically with the ship’s cockpit in full view.

The reverse design for this coin fell under the remit of experienced product designer Ffion Gwillim, who also worked on the previous three coins in the collection. Placing her in good stead for this final design, the designer also utilised her experience with other licensed collections, including work on coins featuring characters from Disney’s Winnie the Pooh™, to create the perfect swansong for this incredibly popular range with a design that incorporates official imagery provided by Disney and Lucasfilm.

The reverse of the coin also includes a special lenticular feature that changes depending on the reflection of the light. Much like the other coins in the collection, this artwork alternates between two miniature icons representing imagery synonymous with the duo, in this case the legendary Millennium Falcon and the Rebel Alliance ‘Starbird’. Naturally, this coin wouldn’t be complete without the presence of the inimitable Star Wars logo, which takes pride of place at the base of the design.

The final release in our coin collection inspired by the iconic duos of the original Star Wars trilogy, the Han Solo and Chewbacca 2024 UK Coin is a must-have for any fan of the franchise, pop culture collector or sci-fi aficionado. Available as gold Proof and silver Proof editions, as well as a Brilliant Uncirculated edition and special colour-printed editions, you can add this coin to your collection today by clicking here for more details.

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