Mrs Tittlemouse 50p (2018)

Mrs Tittlemouse is one of the harder Beatrix Potter coins to find in change, and even worn examples trade above face value. Better condition brings a higher price, especially where the basket and the mouse's face are sharp. Coins from brilliant uncirculated packs or tubes are worth more again, while the coloured silver proof is bought and sold on its own terms.

With 1,700,000 struck for circulation, the Mrs Tittlemouse 50p is the fifteenth rarest of the 81 ranked 50p designs and has the 60th lowest mintage of all 194 circulating UK designs. That puts it in the Scarce band, for mintages 1,000,000 to 2,499,999.

The next rarer 50p is the Modern Pentathlon 50p, with 1,689,500 struck, and the next more common is the Rowing 50p, with 1,717,300 struck.

Mrs Tittlemouse faces left and carries a basket, with MRS. TITTLEMOUSE written above her rather than around the rim. That sets her apart from the other 2018 mouse, on The Tailor of Gloucester coin, which faces forward on a cotton reel. Turn the coin over for the 2018 date. A coloured coin is a silver proof, and no varieties are recorded.

Mrs Tittlemouse was the fourth and final Beatrix Potter 50p of 2018, following Peter Rabbit, Flopsy Bunny and The Tailor of Gloucester in the third year of The Royal Mint's series. She is the house-proud woodmouse from The Tale of Mrs. Tittlemouse, published in 1910, who spends the story clearing unwanted visitors out of her home. Working from Potter's original illustrations, Emma Noble drew her facing left and carrying a basket, and set the name MRS. TITTLEMOUSE above her instead of wrapping it round the edge. The reverse also carries Noble's small en, and the heads side shows the Queen with the 2018 date. She was struck for circulation, and collectors could also buy her in brilliant uncirculated packs and tubes. A coloured silver proof version was offered as well.

It was one of the four coins in the Beatrix Potter set issued in 2018.