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THE Royal Mint is releasing four new 50p coins as part of its continuing celebration of the 150th anniversary of Beatrix Potter's birth.

Designs featuring Peter Rabbit snacking on carrots, Flopsy Bunny, Mrs Tittlemouse and a mouse from "The Tailor of Gloucester" were unveiled today.

 The Royal Mint has unveiled a new set of coloured 50p coins featuring characters from Beatrix Potter’s Peter Rabbit series
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The Royal Mint has unveiled a new set of coloured 50p coins featuring characters from Beatrix Potter’s Peter Rabbit seriesCredit: The Royal Mint

The cute Peter Rabbit coin is already available to buy on the Royal Mint's website.

It will be followed by the Floppsy Bunny design in March, then the The Tailor of Gloucester in April and finally Mrs Tittlemouse in May.

The Silver Proof Coloured coins cost a hefty £60 per coin and are limited edition, while the Brilliant Uncirculated Silver coins will retail at £10 each.

Uncoloured regular plain-metal versions featuring the designs will also be released into general circulation for a limited time later this year.

 Peter Rabbit is one of four characters from Beatrix Potter to appear on change this year
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Peter Rabbit is one of four characters from Beatrix Potter to appear on change this year
 The four new designs will be added to the Royal Mint’s Beatrix Potter collection, first launched in 2016 to commemorate 150 years since her birth
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The four new designs will be added to the Royal Mint’s Beatrix Potter collection, first launched in 2016 to commemorate 150 years since her birthCredit: Royal Mint

The amount of coins that will be released into circulation are subject to demand, which cannot be predicted by the Royal Mint at this time.

The commemorative coins are expected to be snapped up by collectors when they are released at various dates throughout the year and resold for a higher price.

Some of the Royal Mint's Peter Rabbit coloured coins from 2016 were sold for up to £720 on eBay.

Silver Proof Coloured coins vs Brilliant Uncirculated Silver coins - what's the difference

HERE's the difference between proof and uncirculated coins

  • Proof coins are specially produced to a much higher standard of finish.
    The Silver Proof commemorative coin is made of silver and features an intricate colour design. It therefore costs a hefty £60 from the Royal Mint.
  • Uncirculated coins just means the coins have not been in circulation.
    “Ordinary Uncirculated” coins often have small imperfections but “Brilliant Uncirculated” coins are quality struck coins created in lab conditions issued specially for collectors.
    They are priced at £10 each from the Royal Mint.
  • Circulation Grade coins are put into the general circulation shortly after the release of the collectors' pieces.

The Beatrix Potter's coin collection first launched in 2016 to commemorate 150 years since her birth.

A new Peter Rabbit 50p coin arrived in April last year, when coin fans queued for up to an hour to get on to the Royal Mint website.

These follow an original four coins featuring Jemima Puddle-Duck, Mrs Tiggy-Winkle, Squirrel Nutkin and another Peter Rabbit coin.

The 50p coins have been produced in a hand-painted style, based on the animal characters from Potter's books.

 Each image embossed on the coin is a painstaking recreation of the hand-painted illustrations which brought the books to life
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Each image embossed on the coin is a painstaking recreation of the hand-painted illustrations which brought the books to life
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Anne Jessopp, from The Royal Mint said: "The Beatrix Potter range has grown in popularity since Peter Rabbit was first introduced onto UK coins in 2016.

"This year we are delighted to present another group of Beatrix’s characters, giving them a new lease of life on our specially-designed coloured commemorative coins.”

The Beatrix Potter coins were created by designer Emma Noble who has previously worked on pieces commemorating the Diamond Jubilee and Remembrance Sunday.

Potter’s children’s book The Tale Of Peter Rabbit - the first to feature the character - was an instant success after being picked up in 1902 by British children’s publisher Frederick Warne & Co.


MONEY BUNNY What are the Royal Mint Beatrix Potter 50p coins and when is the new collection released?


Peter Rabbit - arguably the author’s most celebrated creation – went on to appear in five more books by the author who became linked with the Lake District.

The story has never been out of print since and more than 45 million copies have been sold worldwide.

A new £2 Jane Austen coin has been unveiled to mark anniversary of author's death


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