The Royal Mint is an institution that has been part of British life for more than 1,135 years, responsible not just for making all the UK's coins but also acting as an export mint to countries across the world.
But as well as making sure the money in our pockets stands the test of time, The Royal Mint releases a host of special limited edition designs that are beloved by collectors who know the rarest coins can increase significantly in value beyond the few pence that they are notionally worth.
The introduction of the much-loved Beatrix Potter collections several years ago kick-started the collections of many young fans and The Royal Mint continues to launch pop-culture inspired collections regularly, with Winnie the Pooh and Alice in Wonderland appearing in this year's releases.
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The next big release for 2022 that looks set to cause a stir with collectors has something a little bit magical about it. Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone came out 25 years ago this year, and The Royal Mint is set to announce a collection to mark the milestone.
Beloved book characters are often the subject of Royal Mint special releases, with collectors able to snap up Mr Men and Little Miss, Peter Rabbit and even festive favourite The Snowman.
Major anniversaries are often key to new release, with 2022 seeing a rainbow themed collection to mark 50 years of Pride, a stunning Platinum Jubilee collection marking 70 years of the Queen's reign and even 150 years of The FA Cup. Meanwhile, a special 50p to mark Birmingham hosting the 2022 Commonwealth Games has also been released.
While some of these designs will pop up in your change if you're eagle eyed enough to see one in the wild, to collect the full collections or specially presented colour versions of some of the most iconic options can only be done by buying directly from The Royal Mint.
They also provide special sets ideal for gifts for newborns or people getting married to mark the year of the event. See The Royal Mint's forthcoming releases here.
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