The Royal Mint joins with the V&A Museum to celebrate Lewis Carroll’s iconic Alice in Wonderland literary classics

The literary classic that is Lewis Carroll’s ‘Alice in Wonderland’ is no stranger to the coin world. The Perth Mint has issued a very neat coin based on the books, and the New Zealand Mint, through its Disney licence, has showcased the animated movie classic, shortly to do so again.

Now it’s the turn of the Royal Mint to bring the iconic heroine to life, and it’s of no surprise to see them return to the originall books, with the beautiful artwork that helped make them so popular. This will be a two-coin set with the first issue launching today, and the second, which you can see full images of lower down, dropping later this year.

Todays coin depicts Alice and her encounter with the wacky Cheshire Cat perched in a tree. Everyone remotely familiar with the books will know the scene and we have to say, the mints artists have done a superb job with it, irrespective of whether it’s a coloured version or not.

As for the selection of formats that make up the range, it’s a typical one for the Royal Mint  Silver is covered by a half-ounce coin that is cleanly struck, and a one-ounce coin with colour highlights. Gold likewise has two variants, a quarter-ounce and a one-ounce, but thankfully, there’s no colour. The choices are rounded out by a pair of base metal coins, one clean with an unlimited mintage, the other coloured with a 15,000 mintage. The latter is exclusive to the Royal Mint itself.

The second coin is also well done and this one features the equally iconic duo of Tweedledee and Tweedledum in conversation with Alice. As far as formats, mintages and presentation goes, the second coin exactly matches the first and we’d expect buyers of the first coin will grab the second. It’s billed as a two-coin set, but we wouldn’t be surprised to see another pair next year. After all, where’s the Mad Hatter, the Queen of Hearts, and many more of the iconic characters that make up this eclectic literary world?

PRESS RELEASE

The Royal Mint has today unveiled the first official Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland coin collection inspired by the much-loved illustrations of the original book.In collaboration with the Victoria and Albert Museum, the special £5 crown featuring Alice and the Cheshire Cat will be available from today. The coin was revealed alongside the original illustrations by Sir John Tenniel at the Alice: Curiouser and Curiouser exhibition at the world’s leading museum of art, design and performance.

Made by the Original Maker of UK coins, the £5 crown provides an ideal canvas to immortalise the iconic illustrations in vivid detail and colour, using traditional minting techniques and innovative design technology. Featuring the edge inscription ‘Curiouser and Curiouser’, the intricate design is one of the most detailed coins produced by the 1,100-year-old Makers.

Launched in base metal (known as brilliant uncirculated), and also available in gold and silver, the Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland keepsake is part of a two-coin collectors’ range created by The Royal Mint Designer Ffion Gwillim and Sculptor Emma Noble. The second coin, featuring Tweedledum and Tweedledee, will launch later this summer in celebration of 150 years of Through the Looking-Glass – the sequel to the original Lewis Carroll book.

Much like the popularity of coin collecting, the treasured tales have passed the test of time – currently the second most searched children’s book in the UK on Google.

Clare Maclennan Divisional Director of Commemorative Coin at The Royal Mint said: “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland is a true classic that has been cherished by generations of adults and children of all ages and is still as popular today. In collaboration with the V&A, we have commemorated this treasured tale for the first time on an official UK coin.

“Inspired by Sir John Tenniel’s original illustrations, the beautiful £5 crown has been crafted to the finest quality, combining traditional minting skills with innovation in design technology. I’m sure the Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland range will become a popular choice for collectors, capturing the imagination of people of all ages, and to launch at the awe-inspiring Victoria and Albert Museum during the 150th anniversary of Through the Looking-Glass is a fitting celebration.”

Amelia Calver, Research and Development Manager, V&A Brand Licensing, commented: “We’re delighted to be celebrating the global phenomenon beloved by all ages, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, with the 2021 commemorative coins. The designs masterfully capture the charm of Tenniel’s original illustrations and pay homage to some of the Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass characters that Alice meets along the way. The 2021 coins are set to give fans the chance to add to their existing collections and inspire new readers of the book to discover the magic of Carroll’s stories and embark on wondrous journeys of their own.”