It’s fair to say that over the years the UK’s coins haven’t been winning any prizes for the coolness of their design.
But no more will that accusation be fair, as the Royal Mint unveiled the latest (badass) commemorative designs for £2 and 50p pieces over the weekend – and Twitter loves them.
The UK is getting some new coins. We definately have the coolest money in the world. pic.twitter.com/YLfwEuGJEY
— Freddy Chambers ?? (@OshiSeven) January 2, 2016
Literary figures seem to be in fashion for the new coins as The Bard himself, William Shakespeare, is commemorated in two designs. The images include a skull beside a thorny rose and a sword through a regal crown – both aiming to pay tribute to his impressive body of work.
Continuing the theme, everyone’s childhood favourite Beatrix Potter is commemorated on two 50 pence pieces using her best-known character, Peter Rabbit. The Battle of Hastings also features in the batch of special coins – which will enter circulation this Spring – however the skull and roses is the one that seems to be proving most popular.
DUDE OUR NEW £2 COIN IS METAL ASF pic.twitter.com/i7D8nR4CBf
— Utorak (@Utorak007) January 1, 2016
The new £2 coin celebrates an important historic anniversary – & you can also pretend to be a pirate when shopping! pic.twitter.com/1Dd9HmvPEZ
— Myko Clelland (@DapperHistorian) January 2, 2016
@TheBloggingGoth that makes me surprisingly happy
— morag (@thelrm) January 2, 2016
@TheBloggingGoth Shakespeare wrote Macbeth; he has some retroactive goth cred for that one with its witches and curses and so forth.
— G. (@cybersphynx) January 2, 2016
The 2016 designs are not the only recent change to Britain’s currency, as last month it was announced that the last ever batch of round £1 coins had been produced. Britain’s official coin maker says the new 12-sided design, due to enter circulation in 2017, is the ‘most secure in the world’, designed to combat counterfeiting.
That’s all very well, but does it have a skull on it? If not, no one cares anymore.
