Zog 50p (2025)

The Zog 50p was sold only to collectors, so packaging and condition decide its price. A coin in its illustrated Royal Mint pack is worth more than one sold unpackaged, and scratches, fingerprints or toning lower it. The colour edition is priced separately from the plain coin, and the silver and gold proofs are valued on their own.

The Zog 50p was not issued for circulation, so it has no rarity rank.

A small dragon in mid-flight, flapping his little wings above treetops with mountains on the horizon, marks this coin, with the name ZOG and a TM mark at the upper left. The drawing is in Axel Scheffler's familiar picture-book style. A colour edition adds printed colour to Zog, while the ordinary coin is plain. The King's head is on the other side, and Zog was never issued for circulation.

Known varieties of the Zog 50p, all listed among the UK error coins and varieties:

• Colour edition: A colour-printed brilliant uncirculated edition.

Zog, first published in 2010, follows an eager but accident-prone young dragon through his years at Dragon School, helped along by his kind friend Princess Pearl. It was written by the former Children's Laureate Julia Donaldson and illustrated by Axel Scheffler, the partnership behind The Gruffalo, Room on the Broom and Stick Man. The Royal Mint marked the book's fifteenth anniversary with this coin, produced under licence with Magic Light Pictures, the company that has turned many of their stories into animated films. The reverse uses Scheffler's own illustration of Zog in flight, flapping his tiny wings in his clumsy, determined way, remastered by Royal Mint product designer Emma Noble. He flies over treetops with mountains on the horizon, and the name ZOG with a trademark symbol sits at the upper left. The coin followed the Gruffalo 50ps of 2019 and The Gruffalo's Child of 2024 onto the fifty pence. A colour edition, a silver proof and a gold proof were sold alongside it. Zog shares the coin with Martin Jennings' portrait of King Charles III on the obverse.