#Pobjoy – richukcoins®

Isle of Man Christmas 50p coin in CN from 1997 onwards

Published on 05/05/2017

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In this part, we talk small-sized 50p coins mainly. It will cover 50p coins made from 1997 to 2016, and give you a picture of what are IOM Xmas 50p coins after this part. Bear in mind that the 2008 snowman either plain version or colour version excludes here.

2016, A New Year, A new story it begins here (I wrote this bit at the beginning of the year @ 01/2016). 2017, A New Year, a story will be repeated many times to new collectors, … (wrote @ 01/2017)

Then, 2016 it is the year that the marriage is untied up (@ 11/2016) between the two. How ironic it is. Also, it is the year that the last Christmas 50p coin is struck by the Mint.

1997 T.E. Brown, Manx poet
Note
obverse designer R. Maklouf (the 3rd effigy of Q.E. II),
coin were struck as proof coins for this year apart from re-strike coins in 2000s.
only no die marks coins and ND for the 4th consecutive period.
18th in series.

1997 IOM Xmas 50p Diamond Finish coin with NO die marks below

1997 IOM Xmas 50p Diamond Finish coin with a low-striking quality made in 2000s below.

1998 Christmas Festive scene in the Victorian era
Note
obverse designer IRB (the 4th effigy of Q.E. II),
only no die marks coins exist and ND for the 5th consecutive period.
19th in series.

1999 Christmas tree decorating
Note
obverse designer IRB (the 4th effigy of Q.E. II),
AA, BB and ND die marks are noted this year.
20th in series.

1999 IOM Xmas 50p Diamond Finish coin with NO die marks below

1999 IOM Xmas 50p Diamond Finish coin with BB die marks from carded below

1999 IOM Xmas 50p Diamond Finish coin with BB die marks below

1999 IOM Xmas 50p Diamond Finish coin with AA die marks below

2000, Manx man, Dr. John Kelly whom translates the Bible into Manx Language
Note
obverse designer IRB (the 4th effigy of Q.E. II).
BB & ND exist, and BB coin have two different grades, Grade I and II.
21st in series.

What would be first to say about this coin this year? Probably it is the mint mark. The PMM was struck on 50ps in 2000 instead PM normally. The first two of PMM stands for the pobjoy mint mark (i.e., PM) over the world, and the last two of PMM (i.e., twin “M”) is about to commemorate the Millennium in 2000 (i.e., Roman Numerals M=1000). Sometimes, we come across some privy/privy letter created by the mint. It is a way to look at how a private mint to record modern history. For instance, 1982 crib privy on 20ps for the birth of Prince Williams. Also it is the year that 20ps was introduced in circulation in the U.K..

From top panel in pictures, it is literally a diamond finish coin that should be struck for all collectors in the first place based on Tynwald’s consistency, and you have to say it’s BEAUTIFUL at first glance. However, if you take a little step back to look at the entire picture, you probably see it clearly — the owner of IOM Xmas 50p coin.

Middle panel. Eye appears is ok even with a better reflectivity. Lustrous can be seen. One significant fact on this that get your attention is a mark on the first small window from bottom on the left big window. The mark disappears after you find a diamond finish coin.

Down to bottom panel. Lustrous still can be seen and die marks left on obv.. This thing happens on 2007 as well. Interestingly, long (or short) die marks ONLY can be found on CURRENCY 50p coins.

2000 IOM Xmas 50p Diamond Finish coin with NO die marks below

2000 IOM Xmas 50p Diamond Finish coin with BB die marks below (Grade I, semi-PL)

2000 IOM Xmas 50p Diamond Finish coin with BB die marks below (Grade II, BU)

2001 Postman in the Victorian era
Note
obverse designer IRB (the 4th effigy of Q.E. II).
BB & ND exist.
22nd in series.

2001 IOM Xmas 50p Diamond Finish coin with BB die marks below

2001 IOM Xmas 50p Diamond Finish coin with NO die marks below

2002 Dickens Scrooge
Note
obverse designer IRB (the 4th effigy of Q.E. II).
BB and ND exist.
23rd in series.

2002 IOM Xmas 50p Diamond Finish coin with BB die marks below

2002 IOM Xmas 50p Diamond Finish coin with NO die marks below

2003 (& 2008) the Snowman and James
Before introducing them, let we have a little background first. In terms of diamond finish coins, you are able to find it out from T.T. buying guide with us. All colour-printed coins must be struck as diamond finish coins first and then paint colours on top. Each diamond finish coin must come with a certification (ie., coa) together. In terms of a cert, it is only a piece of paper without any protective techniques involved. But the cert for this year is totally different like the ones before or after. A diamond finish coin has “BB” die letters on reverse (and/or “neo-BB” which means no die letters) and is limited @ 30,000 yearly. The Mint claims 30,000 coins per year, and the mintage number is real and strictly limited. Where do colour-printed coins come from? They are out from a small fraction of 30,000 coins to be painted as colour-printed diamond finish coins. Alternatively, they could be another colour-printed coins version @ 30,000 coins but hard to be true. What If this idea is true??!! The thing will be a real pain for xmas coin collectors. However, who cares??? Business is business. Meanwhile, all diamond plain coins and diamond colour-printed coins are both sharing the same cert each year and no any difference you could tell. It looks like people are really making pains on themselves.

All colour-printed version coins

With regard to the above picture, it is really hard to say that it indicates the entire family members of the IOM xmas theme colour-printed version. Because the 2008 colour-printed Snowman did not count in it. (Why?!! You will have your own answer(s) after this chapter.) In my own eyes, it is a family picture.

In 2003, it came out with the famous story in Britain, the Snowman(TM) & James, to commemorative the 25th Anniversary of animation alive. We had to thank the very 1st mint master, Derek Pobjoy, founder of the mint, to let the story bear on 50ps FOREVER. And the mintage was strictly down to 10,000 (from previous 30,000 yearly). We assume that the batch of colour-printed coins is taken out from 10,000. If you do the math, this is the reason that makes the 2003 DIAMOND FINISH 50P COIN really hot and popular indeed in the United Kingdom.

But did you notice that a diamond plain coin and a colour-printed coin shares one cert at the same time. All colour-printed coins are possibly found from carded with coa (i.e., the mint). Some diamond plain coins are barely seen in decoration coin box (i.e., the mint). Some so-called diamond finish were sold by Benham first day coin covers (i.e., distributor). By the way, can you easily point out a standard finish coin between two diamond finish coins this year? Remember, they all have “BB” die letters on. However, the 2008 one came out with the exactly same story back to 2003 BUT without die letters, and was to celebrating the 30th Anni. of the story, and was limited at 30k as well. That is why people see the 2008 Snowman version alongside the 12-day of Christmas. Also, the 12-day was a uncompleted project. Did you ask yourself, this unusual one Why had it not seen in 2007 (or before 2008) or in 2009 (or after 2008)? Why two Xmas coins minted in 2008? Coincident, or people greedy??? In terms of consistency, the entire theme is broken up here in 2003, due to the 30th Anni. of Snowman exists (2008) and the uncompleted project of the 12-day of Christmas (2005 to 2010).

Note
obverse designer IRB (the 4th effigy of Q.E. II).
the 25th. Anniversary of animation alive in the U.K. (since 1978).
24th in series.

2003 IOM Xmas 50p Diamond Finish colour-printed coin with BB die marks below

2003 IOM Xmas 50p Diamond Finish coin with BB die marks below

2004 The Laxey Water Wheel
The Laxey water wheel is historic site on the island. The first showing of the wheel was in 1971 on 5p Manx coinage and disappeared after 1979. To commemorative the 150th anniversary of the water wheel, it comes out again this year on 50p Manx coinage and £5 pound coins as well. (5p x10 = 50p, then 50p x10 = 500p = £5. Coincident??)

If you are lucky, you may have a chance to meet a manx cat (or a black cat) outside the gate after traveling long way up by tram. It does not make sense such the scene found on a Xmas theme coin collection series. The Laxey water wheel was on 5p coin. It is a little bit far away out of the Xmas theme idea. Also, the BA die marks come out again! Something inside of the theme it has slowly gone just like the little manx cat quickly disappears a year after.

Note
Obverse designer IRB (the 4th effigy of Q.E. II).
AA, BA & ND have many differences in detail. BA noted ONLY on Diamond Finish coins.
Coins with AA die marks do NOT have mirrored-like field. One case (exactly same) was noted back to 1988 first appearance, but 1988 BA was ONLY appeared on standard finish coins.
Beyond this point, a) the manx cat disappears. b) the IOM Xmas 50p coin is highly likely heading to a era of commercialisation.
Most importantly, dual dates noted. This means 2004 was noted on obverse and reverse. Very rare to see this.
25th in series.

2004 IOM Xmas 50p Diamond Finish coin with BA die marks below

2004 IOM Xmas 50p Diamond Finish coin with NO die marks below

2004 IOM Xmas 50p standard Finish coin with AA die marks below

2005 One partridge in a pear tree
“The Christian tradition of celebrating the Twelve days of Christmas, starting on the 25th December through the morning of Epiphany on 6th January, is based on a sequence of verses in the Holy Bible (Matthew 2: 1-12) and the belief that the Three Kings took 12 days to travel to Bethlehem after first seeing the Jesus Star.”

It is really amazing to see such wonderfully and highly related with the Bible story on 50ps, featuring a partridge in a pear tree. It is BACK on tradition again. But very sadly, the mission is uncompleted (i.e., it was supposed to be having twelve coins added up into the entire series instead the first six coins ONLY were struck). If you intend to knock together a good story about the Holy Bible on 50ps. I personally suggest that you may need to come across collecting 50ps either Isle of Man or Gibraltar. First, the mint that minted coins for both places was the Pobjoy mint. They invented the idea of “Xmas 50ps”. So they put this idea on the coinages of Isle of Man, Tonga and Gibraltar. Due to some reasons unknown, The Mint was no longer to strike coins on behalf of the government of Gibraltar after 2003. So this incident broke the whole idea of the Mint. For instance, 1988 Gibraltar Xmas 50p, Three Wise Men; 1990 Gibraltar Xmas, the birth of Jesus with the Star; 1991 IOM Xmas 50p, Nativity Scene The Birth of Jesus; 19993 IOM Xmas, Nativity Scene The Birth of Jesus; 2000 Gibraltar Xmas, Maria and Baby Jesus and Angel; 2002 Gibraltar Xmas, Shepherds; 2005 to 2010 IOM Xmas, the 12 days of Christmas; 2013 IOM Xmas Angel, and so forth. But on the other hand, it could interpret, like the Mint was under “some thing” promoting Gibraltar on coins. Secondly, let all people on earth know that the Isle of Man is famous by its coinage again which means absolutely no doubt about it, because the Isle of Man government assigned correct right to the Pobjoy mint. Also it can see the isle of man coins are heading to a commercial way. Good sign for dealers and bad news to collectors.

To be very clear here I am not a fan of neither the Pobjoy mint nor the Royal mint. But I only was dazzled by its idea & innovation on coins struck by the Pobjoy mint. Also, the two key facts lead the Pobjoy mint two more steps ahead the Royal Mint. But the Britain modern coins market reshuffled in 2016. Could you ask a question “What does the Royal Mint have apart from history and reputation in this industry?”

Note
obverse designer IRB (the 4th effigy of Q.E. II),
AA die letters Diamond Finish 50ps ONLY in market,
AA die letters Colour-printed 50ps ONLY.
26th in series.

2005 IOM Xmas 50p Diamond Finish coloured-print coin with AA die marks below

2005 IOM Xmas 50p Diamond Finish coin with AA die marks below

2006 Two Turtle Doves
Note
obverse designer IRB (the 4th effigy of Q.E. II),
AA die letters and NO die letters diamond finish 50ps found in the market.
27th in series.

2006 IOM Xmas 50p Diamond Finish coloured-print coin with AA die marks below

2006 IOM Xmas 50p Diamond Finish coin with NO die marks below

2006 IOM Xmas 50p Diamond Finish coin with AA die marks below

2007 Three French Hens

Here, it is a way to give you more details in dept on a currency 50p coin and a diamond finish 50p coin. The significant difference between the currency and the diamond coins is all about the year on obverse. First, it will be coloured version, and then follows up by non-coloured coins.

Note
obverse designer IRB (the 4th effigy of Q.E. II),
AA die letters and NO die letters for plain and colour-printed 50p coins,
AA die letter coins noted die marks left on obverse.
28th in series.

2007 IOM Xmas 50p Diamond Finish coloured-print coin with NO die marks below

2007 IOM Xmas 50p Diamond Finish coin with NO die marks below

2007 IOM Xmas 50p standard Finish coin with AA die marks below

2008 Four calling birds
Note
obverse designer IRB (the 4th effigy of Q.E. II)
Snowman and James exists as well as plain and colour-printed version
29th in series.

2008 IOM Xmas 50p Diamond Finish coloured-print coin with NO die marks below

2008 IOM Xmas 50p Diamond Finish coin with NO die marks but in different finish below

2009 Five gold rings
Note
obverse designer IRB (the 4th effigy of Q.E. II)
30th in series.

2009 IOM Xmas 50p Diamond Finish coloured-print coin with NO die marks below

2009 IOM Xmas 50p Diamond Finish coin with NO die marks below

2010 Six Geese A-Laying
Note
obverse designer IRB (the 4th effigy of Q.E. II).
1/2 of a 12-day of Christmas.
This year the Tower mint struck “Partridge in a Pear tree” to back the Pobjoy mint. (Coins talk.)
31st in series.

2010 IOM Xmas 50p Diamond Finish coloured-print coin with NO die marks below

2010 IOM Xmas 50p Diamond Finish coin with NO die marks below

2010 IOM Xmas 50p Diamond Finish coin with AA die marks below

2011 Father Christmas
First thing is first. It is really amazing when something it comes back after disappearing a long long time. The Mint is now commemorating tradition on 50p coins. Christmas tradition is BACK with Father Christmas on its reverse.

It can be found that ‘p’ after its denomination in period 2011 to period 2014. It is very significant change of the coinage of Isle of Man. Meanwhile, you probably see from the currency type 50p coin is very low on its quality but still seen lustrous. It can be concluded that from the point of view of quality the mint has already given up to mint Xmas series 50p coins. It is worth ponding and asking “Why did they add ‘P’ next to denomination in 2011 “. Also, some of neo-diamond finish 50ps coins have flaws on mirrored-field.

Note
obverse designer IRB (the 4th effigy of Q.E. II),
Add “p” after denomination since 2011 (i.e., Echo UK coinage change).
currency, diamond finish and colour-printed diamond finish coins noted onwards.
32nd in series.

2011 IOM Xmas 50p Diamond Finish coloured-print coin with NO die marks below

2011 IOM Xmas 50p Diamond Finish coin with NO die marks below

2011 IOM Xmas 50p standard finish coin with AA die marks below

2012 Nativity Scene Angel
Not too many of Nativity Scene was struck on Xmas 50ps, and it was only a few in the whole series, in 1991, 1993 & 2012 respectively.

Note
obverse designer IRB (the 4th effigy of Q.E. II).
33rd in series.

2012 IOM Xmas 50p Diamond Finish coloured-print coin with NO die marks below

2012 IOM Xmas 50p Diamond Finish coin with NO die marks below

2012 IOM Xmas 50p standard finish coin with AA die marks below

2013 Christmas Wreath & Candy
Back to tradition, it has been long long time to wait. Such great colours, green and red always let people remember the best time in life–Christmas time, waiting to open gift from gift socks, decorating Christmas tree at home etc.

Note
obverse designer IRB (the 4th effigy of Q.E. II)
34th in series

2013 IOM Xmas 50p Diamond Finish coloured-print coin with NO die marks below

2013 IOM Xmas 50p Diamond Finish coin with NO die marks below

2013 IOM Xmas 50p standard finish coin with AA die marks below

2014 Snowman & the snowdog and Billy
The last coin in this series, it may let any coin collectors feel a bit sadness. This year, colour-printed, diamond finish and standard finish 50ps exist in the market. Standard finish 50p coins are noted “AA” and lustrous, and diamond finish without any die letters.

Note
obverse designer IRB (the 4th effigy of Q.E. II).
35th in series.

2014 IOM Xmas 50p Diamond Finish coloured-print coin with NO die marks below

2014 IOM Xmas 50p Diamond Finish coin with NO die marks below

2014 IOM Xmas 50p standard finish coin with NO die marks below

2015, NO Xmas 50p Coins EXIST ! ! !
Obviously, there is no any IOM Xmas 50p coin exist this year. But I use a medallion instead here. The quality is so-called “Pobjoy Finish” from so-called “Diamond Finish”. The medal quality is prooflike at least. If you look at coins they made on behalf of the Tynwald after 2000 or 2004, the less Diamond Finish you see. The 50 years it is more likely to celebrate the long relationship between the Tynwald and the Pobjoy mint. But, the divorce between the two can not be avoided in 2017!

2015, it is the Pobjoy mint the 50th Anniversary minting coins from 1965 to 2015

2016 Christmas Pudding
After a year long waited since 2015 without any info telling when would be a 2016 version out, finally, the IoM post office announces that the latest IOM Xmas 50p coin will be back and presenting in 2016. 2016, it is a sorb year to the Mint. 2016 it the year that the Tynwald treasure only allowed to make the first batch (ie., 15,000 coins) so this permission made a miracle story only 750 diamond finish CN coins. Because of this information, so I am able to decipher more info on the Xmas series coin. 2016, it is going to say farewell to the Mint from the older partner, Tynwald. But, the mint has opened up a door for the Tower mint already, just like they did the same case in 2003/04 passing the handover of Gibraltar coinages to the Tower mint.

Note
New Pobjoy Mint obverse, echoing UK changing new Q.E.II portrait in 2015.
Very low striking quality on all three types of coins.
IOM Post Office is in charge of selling IOM coins including 2016 Xmas 50p coins.
IOM Post Office announces that only 750 diamond finish Xmas 50p coins in card, and 15,000 coins in total.
ND(5%) < BA(20%) < AA(75%), this year BA is echoing 1987 and 2004 BAs. Inconsistency was noted on IOM Xmas 50p coins between 2014 and 2015. The 'p' after denomination disappears since 2011, it echoes the first IOM Xmas 50p coin in 1980. 36th in series.