Like many other mints, the Royal Mint issues bullion coins in precious metals, having much higher intrinsic value than their face value. The one ounce (1 oz) silver coins are denominated as either two pounds (£2) or five pounds (£5), depending on the occasion.
Initially, these were only of the Britannia type, but in 2015 the Royal Mint started to use the format for coins with other types of reverse designs, celebrating various aspects of British heritage.
The coins are legal tender but are not intended for circulation. They are targeted at bullion investors or collectors who appreciate the special editions as pieces of art.
This silver one-ounce commemorative coin is part of a series of coins by the Royal Mint dedicated to Peter Rabbit, the main character in the famous children's books by British author Beatrix Potter.
Earlier coins had been in the 50 denomination, but in 2021 the Royal Mint released for the first time a £5 coin and two one-ounce coins in precious metals - silver and gold.
The Mint says: "Mischievous Peter Rabbit was the first Beatrix Potter character to be celebrated by The Royal Mint in partnership with Penguin Random House UK, and the blue-jacketed bunny has since gone on to star on a series of 50p coins. Each year, we’ve brought more of Peter Rabbit’s adventures to life in a series of beautiful designs, carefully selecting iconic images that recall his most memorable moments. Whether he’s squeezing under a garden gate in search of mischief, or munching on radishes after another scrape with Mr. McGregor, each release featuring Peter Rabbit has been eagerly anticipated - a testament to his timeless charm and the skill involved in the meticulous recreations of the hand-painted illustrations which brought Beatrix Potter’s iconic books to life.
2021 is an extra special year for Peter and The Royal Mint as Britain’s favourite bunny hops onto a new coin, appearing on a UK one ounce and £5 coin for the very first time. To mark the switch to a new denomination, Ffion Gwillim and the coin production team were determined to do something extra special." |