5 Pounds - Charles III The Penny Drops Gold Proof (2026)
Circulating version: 2026 5 Pounds - Charles III The Penny Drops
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Year | 2026 |
| Denomination | 5 Pounds |
| Face value | £5 |
| Mint | Royal Mint · Llantrisant |
| Circulation | Non-circulating |
| Composition | Gold (.9167) (917/1000 fine) |
| Weight | 39.940g · 1.1771 t oz |
| Diameter | 38.6mm |
| Shape | Round |
| Orientation | Medal alignment ↑↑ |
| Grade scale | UK (EF/UNC) |
Uncrowned portrait of King Charles III left, legend around.
A depiction of four compass points, and a planetary map around a sun, featuring a latent feature, surrounded by a ring of 26 symbols accompanied by the inscription
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not a sale of this coinWe have no sold price for this coin yet. This range is the middle of what 12 similar coins sold for as issued: the same denomination and metal, struck within 5 years. The lower figure is its metal value today. Treat it as a guide, not a valuation.
- £7,000
- £3,150
- £6,039
- £2,563
- £2,348
About the 2026 5 Pounds - Charles III The Penny Drops – Gold Proof
The 2026 5 Pounds - Charles III The Penny Drops – Gold Proof is a collector 5 pounds coin, struck in 91.67% gold. It weighs 39.94g and measures 38.61mm across. Reverse design: A depiction of four compass points, and a planetary map around a sun, featuring a latent feature, surrounded by a ring of 26 symbols accompanied by the inscription.
Common questions
How much is the 2026 5 Pounds - Charles III The Penny Drops – Gold Proof worth?
No verified sale of the 2026 5 Pounds - Charles III The Penny Drops – Gold Proof has been logged on MyCoinage yet. Its gold content is worth about £3,539 at today's spot price, which puts a floor under its value.
How is the 2026 5 Pounds - Charles III The Penny Drops – Gold Proof different from the circulating coin?
This is a collector version of the 2026 5 Pounds - Charles III The Penny Drops, not the coin found in change. At 39.94g of 91.67% gold it is heavier than the 28.28g nickel circulating coin, so weighing it is the quickest check.
How do I identify the 2026 5 Pounds - Charles III The Penny Drops – Gold Proof?
Check the weight 39.94g and diameter 38.61mm and the metal (91.67% gold) against the specification table on this page. The reverse design is described above.
History and design
This is a collector version of the 5 Pounds - Charles III The Penny Drops. The history below is that coin's; the mintage, varieties and collecting notes on its page do not apply to this strike.
The Penny Drops is a £5 crown built as a puzzle. The Royal Mint unveiled it on 29 January 2026 at the Science Museum in London, where the mathematician and broadcaster Bobby Seagull was given the first coin struck and named Player One of The Great British Treasure Hunt. The Mint describes the coin as a physical decipher: numbers, letters and symbols in its design, used with its packaging, unlock layers of riddles across the hunt's five levels.
The hunt was inspired by Sir Isaac Newton, Master of the Mint for nearly 30 years. The Royal Mint called it the first time a UK coin had been used as the key to a national challenge. Level 1 was free to play; later levels were unlocked with the coin and its packaging. UK residents aged 18 or over who finished every level by 30 March 2026 were entered into a draw for a single prize, a 250g solid gold bar. The competition has closed, though the puzzles can still be played for fun.
The reverse is by Christian Davies and Matt Dent, who also designed the Royal Mint's James Bond crowns. The proclamation describes four compass points and a planetary map around a sun, with a latent feature, surrounded by a ring of 26 symbols and the inscription THE PENNY DROPS with the date. The edge is plain with the incuse inscription STANDING ON THE SHOULDERS OF GIANTS, and the proclamation directs that indicated letters within it are inverted.
The obverse carries Martin Jennings's portrait of King Charles III with the inscription CHARLES III D G REX F D 5 POUNDS.
Sources
- £5 Coin Designs and Specifications, The Royal Mint (read 9 Oct 2026)
- The Penny Drops 2026 UK £5 Brilliant Uncirculated Coin, The Royal Mint (read 10 Oct 2026)
- Proclamation determining the specifications and designs for a new series of one thousand pound and five pound gold coins; five hundred pound and five pound silver coins; and five pound cupro-nickel coins (notice 5008530, 12 December 2025), The Gazette (read 10 Oct 2026)
- The Royal Mint decodes new era of collecting with a code breaker coin, launching The Great British Treasure Hunt (press release, 29 January 2026), The Royal Mint (read 10 Oct 2026)
- About The Great British Treasure Hunt (information and FAQs), The Royal Mint (read 10 Oct 2026)
- The Penny Drops 2026 UK £5 Silver Proof Coin, The Royal Mint (read 10 Oct 2026)
- The Penny Drops 2026 UK £5 Gold Proof Coin, The Royal Mint (read 10 Oct 2026)
- Commemorative Coin Striking Numbers, The Royal Mint (read 10 Oct 2026)
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