Royal Mint Releases New Coin Commemorating Aardman Animations' 50th Anniversary

Coin Palace Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Chuo-ku, Kobe), an official distributor of The Royal Mint, which sells rare British coins popular for asset preservation, has launched the "2026 Aardman Animations 50th Anniversary Proof Gold/Silver Coins" on Tuesday, June 9, 2026.

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Source: Aardman Animations Headquarters, by yellow book / CC BY-SA 2.0 Original image here

"Aardman Animations Ltd" is an animation production studio based in Bristol, UK, founded by Peter Lord and David Sproxton. The company name is derived from the superhero "Aardman" who appeared in the BBC program "Vision On." They established the lip-sync technique, where voice actors' lines are recorded first to match the mouth movements of puppets, and continue to produce animations with Aardman's unique worldview.

Aardman is famous for "claymation," a type of "stop-motion animation" where clay models are moved and filmed, with characters like "Shaun the Sheep" and "Wallace & Gromit" being familiar in Japan. Notably, Nick Park's "Wallace & Gromit" won all 10 categories at the 33rd Annie Awards and the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature at the 78th Academy Awards, demonstrating the high acclaim of Aardman's works, truly making it one of Britain's proud entertainment studios.

Now, Aardman's popular characters are gathered on a single coin. The reverse design features five characters peeking out from the gaps of the star mark, which is also used in Aardman's logo. From the top, "Morph," clockwise, are "Feathers McGraw," "Gromit," "Wallace," and "Shaun the Sheep," all looking at us with a smile.

This design was handled by Aardman, not by a Royal Mint designer, making it a piece full of love for their works. The obverse features a portrait of King Charles III designed by Martin Jennings of The Royal Mint.

This release offers two types: a colored silver coin and a gold coin. Please view them on the Coin Palace online shop.

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Coin Palace Co., Ltd.

Coin Palace Co., Ltd. is an official distributor of The Royal Mint, importing and selling coins highly popular for asset preservation.

They are an officially certified dealer that has passed inspections and obtained certifications from third-party coin appraisal institutions PCGS and NGC.

From their showroom on the 30th floor of the Kobe Arts Center, one can enjoy a panoramic view of Kobe, surrounded by the sea and mountains.

Coin Palace Kobe Showroom

Founded in Kobe in December 2012. They opened their own online shop in February 2013, responding to the diversifying British coin market in the era of globalization. Their business activities are diverse, including publishing and translating books related to British coins, acting as an agent for bidding and consignment at world-leading auctions, supporting consignment sales, and holding lectures and workshops on the theme of British coins. Prioritizing each customer's needs, they provide advice on the best asset management methods using British coins, whether antique or modern.

Official Online Shop "Coin Palace"

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<Official SNS> Through SNS platforms including YouTube, they communicate the two charms of coins: "asset value" and "emotional appeal."

・YouTube Channel "Coin Palace": https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCC37n9SmLq09_q_F6BYV7lg ・X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/coinpalace ・Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coinpalace/ ・Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/coinpalace.jp/ ・LINE: https://line.me/R/ti/p/%40002kqqgx

<Corporate Site> https://coinpalace.co.jp/

Coin Palace Co., Ltd. Location: Kobe Arts Center 30F, 7-1-13 Kumanaibashi-dori, Chuo-ku, Kobe Established: February 2016 (Founded December 2012)

Business Activities: ・Buying and selling of coins ・Publishing business ・Seminar business ・Auction agency business ・Appraisal agency business