New Beatrix Potter 50p: Royal Mint unveils 2018 Peter Rabbit coins

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

Four new designs with images of Peter Rabbit, Flopsy Bunny, Mrs Tittlemouse and a helpful mouse from the Tailor of Gloucester were revealed on Monday.

The 50p coins have been produced in a hand-painted style as part of the Beatrix Potter collection which was launched by the Royal Mint in 2016 to celebrate the author’s 150th anniversary.

The new coins will supplement designs issued in 2016 and 2017.

The Peter Rabbit coin in the set went on sale on the Royal Mint website on Monday with the others set to follow throughout the year.

Uncoloured regular 50p coins featuring the designs will also be released into general circulation.

Anne Jessopp, acting CEO at The Royal Mint commented: “The Beatrix Potter range has grown in popularity since Peter Rabbit was first introduced onto UK coins in 2016. Since then, Peter Rabbit has been joined by a number of furry friends throughout the years.

“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 original set unveiled in 2016 featured images of Potter characters Peter Rabbit, Jemima Puddleduck, Squirrel Nutkin and Mrs Tiggywinkle. The coloured range sold out within days from the Royal Mint website.

The new coins were created by Royal Mint designer Emma Noble, who worked on both previous sets and designs commemorating the 60th anniversary of the Queen’s coronation 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.

He went on to appear in five more books by the author who became linked with the Lake District.

Potter died in 1943 aged 77.

The new coloured 50p coins will be sold for £60 per coin from Monday. Uncirculated silver coins will retail at £10 per coin.