Check Your Change!

My grandfather [who died 4 years before I was born, sadly] worked for some years at the Royal Mint. He was involved in the making of the Maundy Money. I wonder what he would have thought of the recent fashion of producing quite so many commemorative coins each year? The Royal Mail 2020 commemorative set includes five special pieces;
£5 to mark the 200th anniversary of the death of George III
£2 to mark 400 years since the Mayflower Pilgrims set sail
£2 to mark 100 years since Agatha Christie published her first novel [The Mysterious affair at Styles}
£2 to mark 75 years since VE Day [Victory in Europe]
and 50p to mark Team GB going to represent us at the Tokyo Olympics

The Mayflower Coin honours the faith-driven men and women who set sail across the Atlantic 400 years ago - for many US citizens, a special part of the history of their nation. The coin shows the little boat breasting the waves.

Independence was not achieved for another 150 years, during the reign of George III. He's popularly remembered for his madness, and his son's Regency period - but he was a deeply patriotic and intellectual man. He was Britain's longest serving King - with many changes during his reign - including the defeat of Napoleon. He lived for many years in Kew Palace, alongside the Royal Gardens. The coin is suitably regal.

Agatha Christie - dubbed 'the Queen of Crime' - churned out dozens of crime novels [66 plus 14 short story collections] Her coin has the classic weapons [poison, dagger, gun...and pen] portrayed on an incomplete jigsaw- the last piece emblazoned with a question mark.

For those who remember it, VE Day was a wonderful celebration - Peace in Europe at last, after the horrors of WWII. The coin shows celebrating crowds and the word Victory.

The Olympic Coin has the 5 rings, plus icons of many different sports. Lots of fun to be had identifying all these!

If you wish to own a "Proof coin set" - containing these five cons, plus our eight regular coins, you can obtain this for $£155 direct from the Royal Mint. That seems quite a lot of money - but check your purses, pockets and piggybanks. You may have a 2009 Kew Gardens fifty-pence piece lurking there.

This one coin is so rare, it is reckoned to be worth almost £200 now! And yes, I do know there is another 50p due to be released on January 31st. 

I shall not be celebrating that one. If I find any in my change, I will be donating them promptly to the Trussell Trust.