When we went to press with the second edition of Spend it? Save it? the latest mintage figures for the 2018 coins weren't available - well now they are and they make for some interesting reading...
Of particular note are the numbers for the highly collected 50p coins which shows NO shield back coins issued into circulation in 2018 (some will have been minted for the special sets) and relatively low mintages for at least two of the Beatrix Potter favourites - the figures are as follows:
Peter Rabbit - 1,400.000
Flopsy Bunny - 1,400,000
Tailor of Gloucester - 3,900,000
Mrs. Tittlemouse - 1,700,000
Paddington at the Station - 5,001,000
Paddington at the Palace - 5,901,000
Representation of the People - 9,000,000
Other figures show there were no 20p and no shield back 10p coins put into general circulation, however, there were 220,000 of each of the Alphabet coins released out there (your guess is as good as mine as to where they are!).
There don't seem to be any circulating 1p, 2p or 5p coins from 2018 either and the £2 didn't fare any better as none of those were struck for general circulation - but apparently a whopping 130,560,000 £1 coins did make it out of the factory doors!
