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, at The Royal Mint website.
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!”