The 2017 Jeremy Fisher 50p coin is a highly sought-after collectible item among coin enthusiasts and collectors. Released as part of the Beatrix Potter series by the Royal Mint, this coin pays tribute to one of Beatrix Potter's beloved characters, Jeremy Fisher.
Have you found this coin in your change?
In this article we'll learn all about the 2017 Jeremy Fisher 50p coin issued by the Royal Mint to commemorate the amazing works of Beatrix Potter – but is this coin rare and how much is this coin worth today?
We'll discover the fascinating story behind this special edition 50p coin that was issued in 2017 and we'll also discuss its value and rarity
Mr. Jeremy Fisher; a somewhat accident-prone frog, lived in a little damp house amongst the buttercups at the edge of a pond. Mr. Jeremy has a day full of the worst fisherman’s mishaps when he sets out to catch minnows for his dinner.
The Beatrix Potter 50p collection
A total of five Emma Noble-designed coins featuring favourites including Peter Rabbit, Beatrix Potter, Tiggy-Winkle, Jemima Puddle-duck , and Squirrel Nutkin were released in 2016.
Due to the coins' enormous popularity, the Royal Mint decided to continue the series in 2017 with a new coin set that included Benjamin Bunny, Tom Kitten, Mr. Jeremy Fisher, and Peter Rabbit once more.
Another Peter Rabbit coin, Mrs. Tittlemouse, The Tailor of Gloucester, and Flopsy Bunny were the ones that came after them in 2018.
2019 and 2020 saw the release of a collector's edition Peter Rabbit coin, continuing the series.
It is clear that this series of 50p coins is by far the most loved and sought-after.
According to the most recent eBay and Amazon sales, the value of the 2017 Jeremy Fisher 50p coin, in good circulated condition and excluding any postage or selling costs, is around £2.75. So, at over five times its face value, it's a good addition to your collection if you find it in your change.
History of the coin
The narrative of Mr. Jeremy Fisher captivates the imagination of young readers as it is meticulously penned and artistically crafted by the esteemed Beatrix Potter. Published in July 1906, Jeremy's origin stems from a letter she wrote to a child in 1893, and she later revised it in 1906, and moved its setting from the River Tay to the English Lake District.
The story showcases her affection for the Lake District and her admiration for children's illustrator Randolph Caldecott.
Jeremy Fisher is a friendly frog who lives in a cozy house by the pond. On a rainy day, he gathers worms for fishing and embarks on a journey across the pond in his lily-pad boat.
If he catches more than five minnows, he'll invite his friends for dinner. He faces various obstacles in achieving his goal, including narrowly avoiding being swallowed by a large trout. He swims towards the shore, decides to give up fishing, and hops his way back home.
This special edition 50p coin was issued in 2017 to celebrate this much-loved character.
Design of the 2017 Jeremy Fisher 50p coin
The cupro-nickel form of the coin has a plain edge, is 27.3mm in diameter, weighs 8g, and is 1.78mm thick.
Emma Noble, a Royal Mint engraver, designed the reverse side of the coin to feature the image of the famous frog, Mr Jeremy Fisher.
On the reverse of the fifty pence coin, is the unmistakable image of Jeremy Fisher. It features a playful head and shoulders portrait of the accident-prone frog, with a dejected look on his face. This image could be found in the original first edition of The Tale of Jeremy Fisher.
The words in capital letters - MR. JEREMY FISHER - are embossed around the edge of the coin's reverse.
The initials, “en” in lower case are embossed in the lower right, around the squirrel’s stomach, the initials of the designer, Emma Noble. Emma Noble had worked at the Royal Mint for 20 years before she was chosen to design the Beatrix Potter series of coins.
The obverse of the coin features the 2015 coinage portrait of the Queen by Jody Clark, the first Royal Mint employee to create a portrait in 100 years – the practice is usually completed by artists working outside of the Mint. The inscription ‘ELIZABETH II.D.REG.F.D.50 PENCE.2017’ appears around the portrait.
On the obverse side, running continuously around the effigy is the monarch's legend and the date: ELIZABETH II · D · G · REG · F · D · 50 PENCE ·2017.
Translated from Latin: Elizabeth the Second, by the Grace of God, Queen, Defender of the Faith, followed by the value and denomination in English.
In small letters below the head, the artist's initials J.C for Jody Clark.
Jody Clark was the youngest person to design the monarch’s profile on this currency at the age of just 33. Jody Clark was also the first Royal Mint employee to design a UK definitive coin portrait in more than 100 years.
He had only been working at the Royal Mint for about two years prior. The new design would be the first time her portrait had been changed in 17 years.
Jody Clark’s design was unveiled in 2015 as the fifth definitive coinage portrait of Her Majesty and the fourth portrait of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II in circulation.
Mintage of the 2017 Jeremy Fisher 50p Coin
The Jeremy Fisher 50p coin was released in 2017 and is one of the fifteen coins minted in the Beatrix Potter 50p series between 2016 and 2020.
Official figures from the Royal Mint's website show that the 2017 Jeremy Fisher 50p coin had the second-lowest mintage of the 4 coins released that year, with a mintage of 9.9 million.
The 2017 Tom Kitten 50p had 9.5 million coins enter circulation and the 2017 Tale of Peter Rabbit 50p had 19.9 million and the 2017 Benjamin Bunny 50p had 25 million 50p coins enter circulation.
Additionally, the coin was also minted as a Brilliant Uncirculated variety in individual presentation folders as well as complete sets, in addition to silver proof versions which had a total mintage of 30,000.
For reference, the 2016 Jemima 50p coin had a mintage of 2.1 million, the Mrs Tiggy-Winkle 50p coin had a mintage of 8.8 million, the 2016 Peter Rabbit 50p coin had a mintage of 9.7 million and the 2016 Beatrix Potter 50p coin had a mintage of 6.9 million.
The rarest 50p coins in the Beatrix Potter series are the 2018 Peter Rabbit and the 2018 Flopsy Bunny 50p coin, which both have a mintage of 1.4 million.
In 2017, there was also one other 50p coin issued into general circulation; in addition to the Beatrix Potter coins and that was the 2017 Sir Isaac Newton 50p coin which has a low mintage of just over 1.8 million.
Is the 2017 Jeremy Fisher 50p Coin Rare?
The 2017 Jeremy Fisher 50p is rather in the middle of the Beatrix Potter commemorative 50p coin series mintages for 50p coins in circulation in Britain today with 9.9 million released in 2017.
So with a mintage of just under 10 million, the 2017 Jeremy Fisher 50p is not considered a rare coin but they are getting harder and harder to find as collectors want them for their collections.
Also, given the popularity of the Beatrix Potter coins, the coin is still highly sought after. The 2017 Jeremy Fisher 50p can still be found in your change and as collectors are adding them to their collections, the coin is becoming more scarce.
How much is The 2017 Jeremy Fisher 50p worth? How rare is it?
As we said, it is always it is difficult to put an exact price on a coin as all coins vary in condition, but we would expect the circulated 2017 Jeremy Fisher 50p, in good condition to be worth around £2.75 in today's market excluding any postage costs.
Where Can I Buy the 2017 Jeremy Fisher 50p Coin?
You can buy the 2017 Jeremy Fisher 50p coin online on auction sites such as eBay or Amazon but please ensure you look at all the information and reputation of the seller.
Alternatively, you can buy it from us by clicking here.
Unfortunately, as this coin is now nearly 6 years old, the Royal Mint no longer stocks this coin so it is only available to buy on the secondary market.
Are there any known errors of this coin?
The Royal Mint has not confirmed any error versions of the 2017 Jeremy Fisher 50p coin.
Bit of Trivia...
The Tale of Mr. Jeremy Fisher, like Peter Rabbit, began life as an illustrated letter to a young child. It was written when she was on holiday in Scotland where her father and his friends enjoyed fishing expeditions