The story follows a quick-witted mouse on a thrilling adventure in search of a nut, but he stumbles upon something far worse. The Gruffalo was born of an Anglo-German creative collaboration and it's amazing to see how his universal appeal continues to connect with families across the world.' Axel Scheffler 'When I first envisaged him, over 20 years ago, I never anticipated that my artwork would be used on a coin. and now he's got his own 50p coin! When I wrote the story, I never imagined anything like that but it's lovely to see how the character has become a part of so many people's lives.' Julia Donaldson 'I can't believe it's twenty years since 'The Gruffalo' was first published.

As popular today as it has ever been, it's no wonder that The Gruffalo is selling coins almost as fast as it is selling books! Understandably excited to have their work celebrated in this way, Donaldson and Scheffler had this to say: The inscription reads: ELIZABETH Ĭreators Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler who brought The Gruffalo to life, couldn't have predicted that they would soon become one of the most successful partnerships in the world of children's books, seeing The Gruffalo sell over 13.5 million copies worldwide. This portrait was introduced in 2015 and continues to be used today. The Queen wears Diamond Jubilee drop pearl earrings and her chin is lifted slightly, which has been said to indicate that she is looking positively towards the future. The truncation is shaped into a sweeping curve. This portrait shows an 88-year-old Queen with deep wrinkles around the eye and mouth areas. Designed by Royal Mint engraver, Jody Clark, the fifth definitive UK coin portrait features a bust of Queen Elizabeth II wearing the King George IV State Diadem. The obverse of the coin bears the fifth portrait of The Queen.

London 2024 50p sports collection