Snowman 50p Series: The Royal Mint’s Annual Christmas Coin
The Royal Mint’s annual Christmas commemorative since 2018: a different scene from Raymond Briggs’s The Snowman on every year’s reverse. Sold in colour-printed BU packs, silver proofs, silver Piedforts and gold proofs each October or November in time for the Christmas gift market. None of these coins entered circulation, which makes provenance — a sealed Royal Mint card or capsule — the most important authentication clue. This guide lists every year, every format and what each is actually selling for.
Raymond Briggs and the Royal Mint partnership
Raymond Briggs published The Snowman in 1978: a wordless picture book about a young boy whose snowman comes to life on Christmas Eve, takes him flying over a winter landscape, and has melted by morning. The book has remained in print continuously for nearly 50 years and the 1982 Channel 4 animated film, set to Howard Blake’s “Walking in the Air,” has become a fixture of British Christmas television scheduling.
The Royal Mint partnered with Penguin Books (the publisher of The Snowman) and the Raymond Briggs estate in 2018 to launch an annual Christmas 50p commemorative series. Each year’s coin depicts a different vignette from the original 1978 book or its 2012 sequel The Snowman and the Snowdog. The series is the Royal Mint’s most consistent annual collector seller and sits alongside the Beatrix Potter, Paddington and Harry Potter programmes as part of the Mint’s licensed-character lineage.
The first issue, in 2018, was designed by Robin Crane, drawing directly on Briggs’s original illustrations. It depicts the iconic scene of the Snowman walking with James through the snowy garden, hand-in-hand. Subsequent years have used different Royal Mint engravers and Briggs-estate-approved artists, with each design pre-approved by the estate before mintage.
Year-by-year: every Snowman 50p
| Year | Scene | Designer | Obverse | BU pack | Silver proof |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Snowman and James walking hand-in-hand (the “classic”) | Robin Crane | Elizabeth II (Clark) | £15 – £30 | £90 – £130 |
| 2019 | Snowman and James flying (the “Walking in the Air” scene) | Royal Mint | Elizabeth II (Clark) | £12 – £25 | £55 – £100 |
| 2020 | Snowman and James together in the snowy garden | Royal Mint | Elizabeth II (Clark) | £10 – £22 | £55 – £90 |
| 2021 | Snowman vignette from the original book | Royal Mint | Elizabeth II (Clark) | £10 – £22 | £55 – £90 |
| 2022 | Snowman and Snowdog (from the 2012 sequel) | Royal Mint | Elizabeth II memorial (Clark) | £10 – £22 | £55 – £90 |
| 2023 | Snowman scene with James | Royal Mint | Charles III (Jennings) | £10 – £22 | £55 – £90 |
| 2024 | Snowman and James continuing the annual series | Royal Mint | Charles III (Jennings) | £8 – £20 | £55 – £85 |
| 2025 | Latest annual Christmas issue | Royal Mint | Charles III (Jennings) | £8 – £18 | £55 – £85 |
BU pack values are for coloured presentation packs in original sealed Royal Mint packaging. Silver-proof values are for individual silver-proof coins in capsule with certificate. Realised prices reflect eBay UK sold listings averaged over the past 12 months. The Royal Mint does not publish circulating mintage figures for the Snowman 50p because none of the issues entered general circulation.
Elizabeth II vs Charles III obverses
The series straddles the change of monarch in September 2022. 2018 to 2022 inclusive carry the Jody Clark fifth-portrait of Queen Elizabeth II, in use on UK coinage from 2015 to 2022. The 2022 issue specifically is the Elizabeth II memorial issue, struck after her death on 8 September 2022 but already in production with her portrait; this is the standard treatment across all 2022 Royal Mint commemoratives.
2023 onwards carry the Martin Jennings portrait of King Charles III, the standard new-monarch portrait introduced from late 2022 across all UK denominations. For full Charles III coinage context see our Charles III coin guide.
The transition has not noticeably affected secondary-market pricing of the Snowman 50p. The Elizabeth II memorial 2022 issue and the first Charles III 2023 issue trade at very similar prices in the BU pack format, suggesting that for this series collectors prioritise the Briggs design and the Christmas association over the obverse portrait.
Coloured vs uncoloured BU packs
Each year’s Snowman 50p is sold by the Royal Mint in two distinct BU formats:
- Uncoloured cupronickel BU. The standard 8.00 g cupronickel 50p in a plain Royal Mint presentation card. Original retail £6–£10. Secondary market: £8–£15.
- Colour-printed BU presentation pack. The same cupronickel coin with selected design elements lacquered in colour (the Snowman’s scarf, the night sky, James’s clothing). Sold in an illustrated presentation pack. Original retail £15–£25. Secondary market: £15–£30.
The colour-printed BU pack is the variant most collectors buy, and the one to give as a Christmas gift. The uncoloured BU is functionally a slightly cheaper way into the same coin and is more common to find loose on eBay because gift recipients sometimes break them out of the colour packaging.
| Format | Specification | Mintage (per design) | RM retail | Current secondary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Uncoloured BU | Cupronickel, 8.00 g, plain card | Not published | £6–£10 | £8 – £15 |
| Coloured BU pack | Cupronickel, 8.00 g, illustrated pack | Not published | £15–£25 | £15 – £30 |
| Coloured silver proof | .925 sterling, 8.00 g, capsuled | ~25,000 | £65–£75 | £55 – £130 |
| Silver Piedfort | .925 sterling, 16.00 g (double thickness) | ~3,500 | £125–£160 | £180 – £320 |
| Gold proof | .9167 (22 carat), 15.5 g | ~500 | £1,800–£2,400 | £1,800 – £2,800 |
Why no Snowman 50p was ever in circulation
Unlike the Beatrix Potter series (2016–2018), which produced both circulating and collector versions of every design, the Snowman 50p has been collector-only from the start. No Snowman 50p has ever been struck for general circulation. This is partly a strategic decision by the Royal Mint to capture higher margins from collector sales, and partly a recognition that the colour-printed BU pack is fundamentally the product collectors want.
The practical implication is straightforward: any “Snowman 50p” you find loose in change is suspicious. It is almost certainly one of three things: (a) a coloured replica that has been spent or discarded, (b) an altered coin where someone has hand-painted a regular 50p, or (c) a non-UK foreign issue with a similar Snowman theme. The genuine Royal Mint Snowman 50p only ever leaves the Mint in a sealed presentation card or capsule.
If you do find one loose, cross-reference against our coins catalogue and consider its provenance carefully. A loose, scuffed coin from change should not be paid premium for; if it does prove genuine, it has very likely been broken out of a presentation card and lost most of its collector value.
The Christmas seasonality effect
The Snowman 50p has the most pronounced seasonal price cycle of any UK collector coin. The Royal Mint releases each year’s new issue in October or early November, deliberately timed for Christmas gift-buying. Demand spikes hard from early November through 20 December as parents, grandparents and gift-buyers source the latest Snowman or earlier years from the secondary market.
Realised eBay UK prices follow this seasonality:
- October to mid-November: prices climb 10–15% above off-season as the new release builds demand for the back catalogue.
- Late November to 20 December: peak season. BU packs trade at 25–35% above June–September prices. Silver proofs at 15–25% above.
- Late December to mid-February: sharp drop as Christmas demand vanishes. Prices return to off-season baseline.
- February to September: off-season trough. Best window to buy if you are filling gaps in your collection.
For sellers, the implication is to list in November and December if at all possible. For buyers, the opposite: source missing years in February through August. The 2018 issue is the only year that does not show this pattern as cleanly, because its “first issue” status drives steadier year-round demand.
Realised auction prices and the 2018 premium
The 2018 Snowman 50p has appreciated more than any other year in the series. As the inaugural issue, it carries a “founder” premium with collectors who started buying mid-series and want to complete back to year one. The 2018 silver-proof is the strongest individual performer in the series, originally retailed at around £65 and now consistently clearing £90–£130 on eBay UK and at Spink and Baldwin’s.
The 2018 silver Piedfort (mintage approximately 3,500) has done even better, clearing £200–£320. By comparison, the 2019–2024 Piedforts trade at £180–£250. The 2018 BU pack itself, originally £15 retail, now sits at £15–£30 secondary, a modest premium that reflects its high mintage relative to the silver and Piedfort variants.
Gold proofs are essentially numismatic-bullion hybrids: the 15.5 g of 22-carat gold is worth £1,000–£1,400 at current spot prices, providing a hard floor that no cupronickel commemorative has. The remaining price is collector premium for the Snowman licence. For comparison with bullion-backed alternatives without the licensing premium, see our gold sovereign values guide.
Authenticating a Snowman 50p
Provenance is the primary check. A genuine Snowman 50p will be in a sealed Royal Mint presentation card, illustrated pack or capsule. Loose coins should be approached with caution. Six physical checks for any cupronickel Snowman 50p:
- Weight. 8.00 g ± 0.05 g for cupronickel; 16.00 g for silver Piedfort; 15.5 g for gold proof. A 0.01 g jewellery scale will catch most replicas.
- Diameter. 27.30 mm flat-to-flat across the seven sides.
- Shape. True heptagonal Reuleaux (curved sides), not a flat-edged seven-sided polygon.
- Edge. Plain, no reeding. Reeded edge is an immediate fail.
- Relief. Sharp detail on small features (snowflakes, the Snowman’s buttons, James’s scarf). Pressed-resin replicas show soft details.
- Colour layer (where present). Genuine colour layers are evenly applied and lacquered. Hand-painted altered coins show brushstrokes, especially on small areas like the Snowman’s scarf or buttons.
For full grading methodology see our grading guide. The coin collecting glossary covers Piedfort, BU and proof terminology in detail.
Where Snowman sits in the licensed-character lineage
The Snowman 50p is the longest-running of the Royal Mint’s annual character series. It started in 2018, the same year the Beatrix Potter series wound down, and predates the Harry Potter series (launched 2022). The Paddington 50p series overlaps but is shorter (six designs across five years).
The Snowman series has the cleanest annual cadence of any Royal Mint commemorative line: one new design every October or November, the same colour-print, silver-proof, silver-Piedfort and gold-proof structure each year, and the same seasonal sales pattern. For collectors, this predictability makes it one of the easiest series to follow. For broader 50p denomination context see our 50p coin values UK guide; for the largest-ever single-year UK 50p commemorative set, see the London 2012 Olympic 50p guide.
Where to sell Snowman 50ps
Selling decisions are driven heavily by season:
- BU packs and singles. eBay UK’s pre-Christmas surge from October to 20 December is the optimal sales window. Expect 20–30% premium over off-season prices. Change Checker also lists Snowmans through the same season.
- Silver proofs and Piedforts. eBay still works through the Christmas window. Specialist auction houses (Baldwin’s, Spink, Noonans) will accept consignments but rarely feature Snowmans in headline catalogues because volumes are too high relative to the rest of their inventory. Best handled as part of a multi-coin consignment.
- Gold proofs. Specialist auction or direct private sale via a BNTA-member dealer (bnta.net). The bullion floor makes gold proofs more liquid year-round than the silver and cupronickel variants.
For full venue-by-venue commission breakdown and net-return modelling see our where to sell rare coins UK guide.
Featured Snowman 50ps on MyCoinage
Browse every Snowman coin in our database →
Frequently asked questions
How many Snowman 50p coins are there?
Are Snowman 50p coins in circulation?
What is the 2018 Snowman 50p worth?
Why did the obverse change in 2022?
Are coloured Snowman 50ps worth more?
Who designs the Snowman 50p coins?
When does the Royal Mint release each year’s Snowman 50p?
Is the 2018 silver-proof Snowman a good investment?
How much is a complete Snowman 50p collection worth?
How can I tell a real Snowman 50p from a replica?
Where should I sell my Snowman 50ps?
Will the Royal Mint keep making Snowman 50ps?
Further reading
- Royal Mint shop — current and upcoming Snowman 50p releases.
- Royal Mint mintage figures — the official source for circulating mintage data.
- eBay UK — deepest market for BU packs and the seasonal trading window.
- Change Checker — secondary-market listings for the full Snowman series.
- Baldwin’s of St James’s — auction realisations for Piedfort and gold-proof issues.
- Spink — specialist coin auction house with regular UK modern decimal sales.
- Peter Rabbit 50p series — the closest analogue licensed-character series.
- Paddington 50p guide — another Royal Mint licensed-character programme.
- Harry Potter 50p guide — collector-only series with similar structure.
- Charles III coin guide — context for the 2023-onwards obverse change.
- 50p coin values UK — the full denomination context.
- Where to sell rare coins UK — venue-by-venue commission breakdown.