Peter Rabbit hops onto new £5 crown in latest Penguin Random House partnership with The Royal Mint

The Royal Mint has extended its partnership with Penguin Random House and Beatrix Potter’s Peter Rabbit to bring the titular hero to the commemorative £5 crown and one-ounce coins for the first time.

Peter Rabbit and his friends have previously appeared on the 50 pence piece and have been one of the most popular commemorative coin collections from The Royal Mint. The iconic character has now made the hop over to the a new coin, to feature on the reverse of the £5 crown, as well as silver and gold one ounce coins.

The larger surface area of the £5 crown has allowed The Royal Mint to explore the timeless narrative of The Tale of Peter Rabbit and capture more detail.

The Royal Mint’s own Ffion Gwillim created the design using original storybook illustrations, settling on an image showing the whole Rabbit family together.

Gwillim said: “What I really like about this particular illustration is that it has a great narrative element. As a designer I always look to tell a story, just as Beatrix Potter did in her unique and wonderful way. It was a lot of fun to revisit The Tale of Peter Rabbit. It’s such a timeless classic and Peter’s antics never get old.”

Thomas Merrington, creative director, Penguin Ventures, part of Penguin Random House, added: “Peter Rabbit has had an exceptional adventure with The Royal Mint over the past five years. His appearance on the £5 crown marks a new chapter for our partnership and provides an exciting opportunity to showcase Beatrix Potter’s original illustration in a creative new way.”

The new commemorative coin features a charming scene of the Rabbit family from an early part of the story when Peter’s mother warns him not to get into any mischief. Capturing the warmth and charm of the original illustration, the coin is set to be key piece for collectors.

Clare Maclennan, divisional director for Commemorative Coin at The Royal Mint, said: “The £5 crown is truly a wonderful piece for collecting, with the larger surface area showcasing The Royal Mint’s abilities as designers and creators of coinage. It has also allowed us to capture the magical world of Peter Rabbit, which deserves the space to be able to tell such a timeless narrative. Peter Rabbit has been a key part of our commemorative coin journey, and we are pleased to offer him a new platform on a new denomination.”

For fans of the Peter Rabbit commemorative coins, the 2021 coin design will be a popular addition to collections, marking a new chapter for the loveable rabbit. This will be the only release featuring Peter Rabbit this year.

The coin is available as gold and silver Proof editions, as well as a Brilliant Uncirculated edition, available from The Royal Mint.

Please visit royalmint.com/peter-rabbit  to view the full commemorative coin range.  The coin will not be going into general circulation.