Five Pounds 2021 Through the Looking-Glass, Coin from United Kingdom - detailed information

At the time of decimalisation in 1971, the United Kingdom Crown coin (equal to 5 shillings) was redenominated as a 25p coin and pieces struck prior to 1990 - all the way back to 1818 - continue to be legal tender for that amount. The old denomination had been a regular circulating coin in the 19th century, but in the 20th century it became more of a commemorative denomination.

The Royal Mint continued issuing commemorative coins in the same format - using the traditional coin dimensions, but in copper-nickel. These were initially also denominated as 25 pence but the "Crown" was changed in 1990 to a commemorative £5 (five pound) coin, having the same dimensions and weight but with a face value twenty times as great.

The denomination is used to mark special occasions, usually royal in theme, rather than for use in general circulation. Although not circulating, these coins are legal tender.

This £5 Crown-sized commemorative coin is the second in a two-coin mini series by the Royal Mint commemorating Lewis Carrol’s classic book "Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland" and its sequel, Through the Looking-Glass.

The Mint says about it:
2021 marks the 150th anniversary of the publication of Through the Looking-Glass, the highly anticipated sequel to the universally adored Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Written by Charles Lutwidge Dodgson under his better-known pen name Lewis Carroll, the story follows Alice on another unique and epic adventure into Looking-Glass House, where everything seems rather backwards and logic is turned on its head. The narrative continues with a stream of playful nonsense, no better epitomised than by two of the book’s most iconic characters, Tweedledum and Tweedledee. The twins feature on the coin design, which is based on an original illustration by Sir John Tenniel that was used in the first publication of Through the Looking-Glass.